Surf Expo offered plenty of newness during its Sept. 10-12 run at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. The premier boardsports, resort and beach lifestyle marketplace featured 300 new brands and attracted nearly 2,000 first-time buyers. Overall, there was a 9 percent increase in retail store attendance, with buyers hailing from 47 states and 68 countries.

“Surf Expo’s September event continues to evolve into an all-encompassing water and resort marketplace,” says Roy Turner, Surf Expo show director and senior vice president. “If a business is influenced in any way by water and the lifestyles that surround it, Surf Expo is the place to be.”

More than 2,300 exhibitors offered products in categories including Surf, Wake, Wind, SUP, Skate, Swim, Footwear, Boutique, Resort and Gift, as well as several emerging categories, including Coastal Gift, Performance, Tech and Freedive. Highlights of the show included a new curated area called The Neighborhood, which featured nearly 50 California lifestyle-driven brands; a charity-focused happy hour benefiting the SIMA Humanitarian Fund’s StokesMe campaign; and the unveiling of the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame’s 2016 inductees, including Duke Kohanamoku, known as the father of modern surfing. The next edition of Surf Expo will be held January 14-16, 2016, in Orlando.

For more information, visit surfexpo.com