DEMA Festival in Ft Lauderdale still on?

[Jim Lapenta]

Hmmm, Sherwood, TUSA, Waterproof, and Ocean Reef are the only scuba gear mfg's. Not a very good showing. They can't think this is a success so far?

Where are the boat mfg's, surfboard companies, and swimwear mfg's? Looks like a travel show with some fringe gear exhibitors as an after thought. And why all the Caribbean destinations? Why isn't the focus on Florida? I don't see any Keys operators or tourism representatives. Nothing there that attracts me or makes me want to attend.

 

[Scubagirlfl]

Wow:cheerleader: I'm loving the huge floor plan http://s15.a2zinc.net/clients/dema/wstf13/public/floorplan.aspx?ID=61&sortMenu=105006 (thanks for the link). So much bigger than the Florida Dive show in Palm Beach. And since DEMA is involved it's got to be good. I am sooo lookin forward to this!!!! Finally a consumer dive show in Florida worth to.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Gonna seem awful empty if the current exhibitor list doesn't triple or quadruple. I still don't see any major mfg's there. And under their terms a dive computer is life support and can't be sold there? That's funny.

 

[deeper thoughts]

Really hope this happens!!!

 

[Oldbear]

Too bad the two shows, The Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo and Water, Sports, & Travel Festival 2013 couldn't combine efforts and make a really nice show the the attendees...but I suppose that competition is competition.

 

[GerrysGlitterGirl]

I agree with less then "OH MY GOSH I NEED TO GO TO THIS SHOW" feeling going on, after checking out the line up on both shows. I was much more impressed with the "Blue Wild Open" show then DEMA and that is sad to me.

NOT that I have attended either show before, and yes I am super new to diving, but darn it all, I was so hopeful to see every company that deals with divers at both shows. However that being said, I do understand the shows are so close together, maybe some companies have commitments elsewhere and can only make it to one show.

 

[real1628]

Everything seems to be coming together well and it looks like it will be a lot of fun. Here's an article with links to the website and Facebook Page as well as the latest press release.
Divers! Are You Still On For The DEMA Consumer Show In Ft. Lauderdale? | Florida Dive Connection

 

[iluvtheocean]

so no regulators, SPG's, BCD, dive computers.

i'm still trying to figure out why...it's not like anyone requires certification to BUY gear and most places wont do fills w/o seeing your cert/knowing you. maybe they just don't want the liability? but wouldn't it be the vendor's liability?

1. Life Support Definition – Exhibitors are specifically prohibited from selling, distributing and taking orders for life support/safety equipment at the Festival. For the Festival “life support” will be defined as:

• Scuba diving and surface-supplied regulators or any part thereof
• Closed or open circuit “rebreather” device or any part thereof
• Scuba or dive related buoyancy control device (“BC&#8221 or any part thereof
• Electronic or mechanical diving “computer” or any part thereof, excluding so-called manual dive tables, manually-operated “dive calculators,” dive timers and free/breath-hold diving computers

 

[Reck Diver]

The show may not be the largest, but there will be plenty of exhibitors. Being in Ft. Lauderdale in April ain't too bad no matter what. If you can arrive a few days early, the Air and Sea Show is in town. Nothing like watching the USAF Thunderbirds, and Navy FA-18 Hornets, buzzing the beach. In past years B-1 and the B-2 Stealth Bomber have appeared.

Around the show you can do some spectacular diving, and enjoy the best nightlife in the country.

Certainly beats the hell out of god awful Baltimore in January or Chicago in the middle of February.

 

[BDSC]

Certainly beats the hell out of god awful Baltimore in January

I was thinking of driving to the Baltimore show until I checked the exhibitor list. Not very impressive at all.