SEPTEMBER 5-7, 2024
ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTRE
WEST CONCOURSE
ORLANDO, FL

Q

General Questions

If I book my hotel today, what is the cancellation policy?
Please visit our hotels page to learn more about EventSphere’s cancellation policy.
What is the location and address of the upcoming show?
Surf Expo’s September 2024 event will be held at the Orange County Convention Center – West Concourse.

Address for West Concourse:
Orange County Convention Center
9800 International Drive
Orlando, FL 32819

How do I get an International Visa letter of invitation?

After registering for your badge, select the “Add Visa Letter” option and you will be prompted to complete the Visa letter form and will receive the letter via email.

How can I book hotel accommodations for Surf Expo?

Surf Expo’s official housing partner is Eventsphere.  We’ve negotiated travel discounts and secured a limited number of reduced-rate hotel rooms to make your trip to Orlando affordable. Through the travel experts at Eventsphere, rooms at the group rate are limited and available on a first come, first-served basis.

To view available rooms and make a reservation click here.

BEWARE OF UNAUTHORIZED SOLICITATIONS
– Please note that Eventsphere is the only official housing company associated with Surf Expo. While other hotel resellers may contact you offering housing for your trip, they are not endorsed by or affiliated with the show. Beware that entering into financial agreements with non-endorsed companies can have costly consequences.

What are the dates for the upcoming Surf Expo?

Surf Expo will take place September 5-7, 2024 in Orlando, FL. Please be aware that the show’s date pattern is the Thursday – Saturday format when making your plans to attend as well as travel arrangements for the upcoming show.

What are the show hours?
Surf Expo Hours:
Thursday, September 5:            9 AM – 6 PM ET
Friday, September 6:                  9 AM – 6 PM ET
Saturday, September 7:             9 AM – 4 PM ET
Who can attend Surf Expo?

Surf Expo is open for qualified trade only. Exhibiting manufacturers, industry-specific qualified retailers and media are allowed to attend. Surf Expo is not open to the public.

Will food be available in the exhibit hall?
Yes, there are a variety of dining options inside the exhibit halls.

Booth catering is available for ordering lunch to be delivered directly to exhibitor booths. Ordering is through Centerplate, the convention centers caterer. To order, contact Lindsey Plunkett (407) 685-5562 or just visit the Centerplate desk located in the Service Center at the show. Orders can be placed with Lindsey in advance, prior to the show. Once on-site, please order at a minimum one hour in advance of time delivery is desired.

Is parking available at the show?

Beginning August 1, 2021 the fee for parking at the Orange County Convention Center is $20.00 per car per entry and $30.00 per oversized vehicles, i.e. buses, per entry. Overnight parking is prohibited.

The North/South Building parking lot can be accessed by two entrances – Universal Boulevard (north side) or International Drive (south side). Using the entrance off Universal Boulevard is encouraged when attending events in the North/South Concourse.

All parking at the Orange County Convention Center is available on a first-come, first-served basis, including disability permit parking. The exact numbers of available spaces vary by show or event.

For more information please visit the Orange County Convention Center’s official parking information page.

Can minors attend the show?

Surf Expo is a professional, trade-only, event where providing the best and safest environment for our attendees to display and shop product lines is our priority. Minors (children under the age of 16) are only allowed to attend Surf Expo under the following specific circumstances:

Exception #1
Minor Buyers who are attending with approved shop owners, and are assisting in the buying process, may be registered by checking “Minor Buyer” under “Job” during the registration process for the retail company. This can only be done after the accompanying adult has been registered.

Exception #2
Minor Exhibitors who are attending with a contracted Exhibiting Manufacturer may be registered by the Company Contact using “Minor Exhibitor” as the “Job” type when registering their booth staff. Please note the Minor Exhibitor will be counted against the overall total badge allotment (7 badges issued for each 10×10 space contracted) and should be reserved for a manufacturer displaying product/ items where over 50% are promoted to the children’s or youth market.

Exception #3
Infants under the age of one year may attend with a nursing mother.  A nursing infant will be approved onsite with the accompanying, approved parent/ guardian at the Registration/ Badge Pick-up Counter, and provided a Guest badge.

Minors will only be issued a badge if there is an approved accompanying parent/guardian with them.  Minors are not permitted to walk the show floor alone.  Any unaccompanied minors will be escorted from the show by Security or Show Management and the parent/guardian will be contacted. Please do not request a badge for a minor child that does not match one of the three parameters above. Any questions or concerns can be directed to the Buyer Relations Team.

Is childcare available?

No. Quality childcare nearby the convention center is available from providers recommended by the Orange County Visitors’ Bureau.

Health + Safety At Surf Expo

For any Health + safety questions, or updates, please click here>

 

 

Attendee

I have attended Surf Expo in the past. Must I register all my company data again?

Although you must “register” each buyer attendee for each show, your store data will be saved as long as you have attended since January 2019. Please take the time to make sure all data is up to date (i.e. your mailing address, phone number, e-mail and product categories you purchase at Surf Expo).

I am an approved store owner, and would like to bring a guest/ team rider. What do I need to do?

Approved Retail Company/ Store owners may bring up to four guests/ team riders total. There will be a fee of $25 each. All buyer guests/ team riders must register onsite along with the main store contact.

I would like to attend Surf Expo. What credentials will I need?

Surf Expo is not open to the public.

  • Retail Companies/ Stores need to supply a valid Federal Tax ID (this is not your Employer Identification Number, or EIN, an EIN will NOT be accepted as proof of retail business), a copy of a valid Retail Business License or Certificate of Resale and two recent invoices for products merchandise similar to that exhibit at Surf Expo, as well as a valid website URL for on-line businesses (not a parked or under-construction/ coming soon page) to be considered.
  • First time attendees (buyers) need to show government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, passport), employee verification letter on company letterhead from owner or manager stating job status, copy of company credit card with both employee’s and company’s name copy of company insurance with employee name listed.
Is there a charge for attending Surf Expo as a Buyer?
Surf Expo is free for qualified Retail Buyers who register before August 22, 2024. Starting August 23rd there will be a fee of $25 to register to attend the show.

Exhibitor

Who can I contact to order electrical/lighting services?

Please see “Electrical, Lighting & Utilities”  for services provided by the Orange County Convention Center, in the Exhibitor Service Manual.

Where can I find the shipping information?

Shipping information and shipping labels can be found in the Exhibitor Service Manual.

What is the address to the Convention Center?

Orange County Convention Center – West Concourse

Address for West Concourse:
9800 International Drive
Orlando, FL 32819

What time can exhibitors get onto the show floor during show days?

Exhibitors can access the show floor one hour prior to show opening.

What are the Registration hours?
Please note – a unique email address is required for all badge requests!

Tuesday, September 3:              8:00 am to 6:00 pm

Wednesday, September 4:              8:00 am to 7:00 pm

*Thursday, September 5:          7:00 am to 6:00 pm

*Friday, September 6:               8:00 am to 6:00 pm

*Saturday, September 7:           8:00 am to 3:00 pm

*Show Day

What are the exhibitor move-in hours?

For complete move-in instructions refer to the Exhibitor Service Kit.

As an exhibitor, how do I register for badges?

Once your booth is assigned, the person designated as your Contract Contact will receive a Booth Confirmation email with links and login information to register your booth personnel for badges. You can also register personnel for badges on site at the show.

Reps

Are non-exhibiting manufacturers allowed to register and attend the show?

All non-exhibiting brands, manufacturers, reps, team riders, suppliers & graphic artists, or other people who are affiliated with our industries, but are NOT BUYERS, will be considered a Non-Exhibiting Manufacturer. To qualify, you must provide a business card, personal identification, and will be charged a $2,000 fee (per person, up to 2 per company, cannot be requested for future shows), which covers admittance for all show dates.  Surf Expo only accepts credit cards and a receipt will be provided. A Non-Exhibiting Manufacturer pass will not be issued until Thursday, September 5th unless management makes an exception. This badge type does not pertain, nor allow access to the show floor for companies engaged in the business of Marketing and/ or Financial Planning/ Institutions. Those companies can only access Surf Expo by contracting booth space. NO MATERIALS CAN BE DISTRIBUTED AND NO SOLICITATION CAN BE DONE INSIDE THE SHOW. MANAGEMENT RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REMOVE ANY SUCH PERSON DISTRIBUTING MATERIALS FROM THE SHOW WITHOUT REFUND.