How will the renovations at City Dock affect the 2026 Annapolis Sailboat Show?
With our close relationship with Annapolis Boat Shows, we at SpinSheet are sometimes asked questions about how the Annapolis City Dock renovations will affect the 2026 Annapolis Sailboat Show. Disruptions are clearly visible and might seem concerning.
SpinSheet co-founder and president of the Annapolis Boat Shows, Mary Ewenson, commented enthusiastically about the upcoming show: “For the past year, we’ve been meeting weekly with representatives from the City and the construction team, and together we’ve come up with a great plan for this fall. Building around the construction is a challenge, but the new City Dock is going to be beautiful, so it’s worth it!”
We also reached out to Ryan Gullang, who does communications for the show and recently hosted a Q&A session for exhibitors, about the upcoming show and how renovations underway would change it. Below you will find our “frequently asked questions” and Ryan’s responses. If there are further updates, we will announce them in our September issue “sneak peek” and in our big October boat show section:
Will the Annapolis Sailboat Show happen in October?
Yes! The 2026 Annapolis Sailboat Show will take place October 15 to 18.
I see these blue structures on City Dock now in the construction zone where the big tents usually are. Will they still be there at show time?
The blue shipping containers, currently being used to store runoff, will be removed ahead of the show.
Will there be fewer exhibitors in the tents?
Nope! We’re expecting to have just as many exhibitors as last year. We’ve had to move a few around, so be sure to consult the show guide or the Annapolis Boat Shows website.
Will the City Dock reconstruction affect the number of sailboats at the show?
Not at all. We’re expecting to have more than 150 sailboats at this year’s show.
How will the show layout be different as a result of the construction?
We’ve had to reconfigure the tents in Susan C. Campbell Park to accommodate the construction. The City of Annapolis has allowed us to extend the show into Compromise Street, so the total show footprint should be about the same.
Is the City Dock project on schedule? When is it due to be completed?
So far, everything is running on schedule. The project is expected to be completed by March of 2028.
Is there anything else different we should know about for this year’s show?
In a lot of ways, it’s business as usual. That said, we’ve got some exciting new programming planned, including several new bars located throughout the show and a revamped seminar schedule. Oakcliff Sailing will also return to refit a seasoned racing boat with live demonstrations at the show.
