October on the Emerald Coast does not exactly slow down. If anything, the local calendar shifts into another gear.
Weekends fill with festivals, concerts, food events and community celebrations. In that busy fall lineup, the 27th Annual Emerald Coast Home & Boat Show offers something distinctly different: a weekend devoted to the homes we maintain, the projects we imagine and the outdoor lifestyle that makes this area home.
The show returns Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 10-11, to the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center. Admission is FREE, and the doors will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
Inside, more than 100 home and general business vendors will offer ideas for projects large and small. Some attendees may arrive with renovation plans and lists of questions. Others may come simply to see what is new and leave thinking differently about a kitchen, backyard or long-postponed repair.
That is part of what separates the Home & Boat Show from many other October events. It is a place to ask questions, handle materials, compare options and talk face-to-face with professionals who understand homes and businesses along the Emerald Coast.
Exhibitors will represent nearly every corner of homeownership, including roofing, plumbing, heating and air conditioning, flooring, furniture, windows, doors, generators and landscaping. Visitors can also meet professionals specializing in pools and spas, shutters, painting, restoration, remodeling and interior design.
Kitchen and bath projects will have a strong presence, along with information about insurance, mortgages and solar energy. Bringing so many specialists together gives residents an opportunity to explore several ideas without scheduling appointments all over town.
General business and retail exhibitors will also introduce products and services ranging from computers and mobile phones to health and wellness, including chiropractic care, hearing services and massage therapy.
Outside, the focus moves from the home to the water and the open road.
Emerald Coast Marine, Captains Choice Boats and Camping World are scheduled to bring boats and recreational vehicles to the convention center grounds for a combined display and sale. Guests can step aboard, look around and imagine their next fishing trip, family outing or road-bound adventure.
That combination feels especially at home in Northwest Florida, where home improvement and outdoor living often overlap. A renovated patio may be where fishing stories are told. New storage may be designed around paddleboards and beach gear. A boat or RV may represent not simply a purchase, but weekends with family and friends.
The event is organized by Wes Fell, a 36-year resident of the Destin-Fort Walton Beach area. Fell moved to Northwest Florida from Louisville, Kentucky, in 1990 and has since organized home and boat shows, business expos, health and job fairs, networking events and music festivals throughout the area.
He also supports Networks of Northwest Florida, a free business-networking organization, and has promoted the Paradise Music Festival and other community events.
For Fell, the Home & Boat Show continues a tradition of bringing local businesses and residents together. Companies can explain what they do while homeowners move beyond online searches and speak directly with people who may help bring a project to life.
In an October filled with entertainment, the show offers a different kind of outing — one that may begin with a few hours of browsing and end with the first real step toward a new idea.
The show will be held at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center, 1250 Miracle Strip Parkway SE in Fort Walton Beach. Look for our Life Media table, come by to say hi and register for a FREE giveaway!
For more information, contact Wes Fell at 850-353-2832 or wesfell@cox.net, or visit ParadisePromotionsFL.com. Businesses interested in exhibiting may also ask about booth space and the 10% Life Media reader discount.
