Brazil · Events
Key Facts
—Opening day. The 29th São Paulo Boat Show opens today, Thursday 24 September, at São Paulo Expo and runs through Tuesday 29 September.
—Why it matters. This is Latin America’s largest nautical event — the annual shop window of a Brazilian leisure-boating industry that serves 7,400 kilometres of coastline and a growing lifestyle economy around it.
—Scale. Trade publication International Boat Industry lists some 200 exhibitors and around 45,000 expected visitors across the six days.
—Star exhibit. The first speedboat ever owned by Ayrton Senna is on display, a draw that reaches far beyond the boating trade.
—Hours today. Day 1 runs from 15:00 to 22:00; from Friday to Monday the doors open at 13:00, and the closing Tuesday ends at 21:00.
—Tickets. Admission is via Sympla, the official ticketing platform; children under one metre tall enter free.
The São Paulo Boat Show 2026 opens this afternoon at São Paulo Expo — six days in which Latin America’s biggest nautical fair turns an inland metropolis into the capital of Brazilian boating.
Day 1: Doors Open at 15:00
The 29th edition of the São Paulo Boat Show opens today, Thursday 24 September, at São Paulo Expo on Rodovia dos Imigrantes. Opening day starts later than the rest of the week, doors at 15:00 instead of 13:00, and runs until 22:00.
The fair gathers boat builders, engine makers, equipment suppliers and nautical services in one hall, with launches and exclusive presentations spread across the six days. First days are traditionally quieter, which makes this afternoon and evening the best window to board the boats on display without weekend queues.
Why This Fair Matters Beyond the Halls
The Boat Show is the largest nautical event in Latin America, and its setting is part of the story: an inland metropolis hosting the trade fair of a coastal industry. São Paulo is where the money, the dealers and the buyers are — the boats themselves mostly end up elsewhere.
That elsewhere is Brazil’s 7,400-kilometre coastline, where leisure boating anchors a wider lifestyle economy of marinas, second homes and charter services. For the expat and second-home communities of Angra dos Reis and Ilhabela, this week is effectively the industry’s catalogue season.
The fair also works as a barometer. When high-ticket leisure goods move, it signals confidence among the Brazilian households that drive the top of the consumer economy — one reason the trade watches opening week closely.
The Senna Speedboat
The emotional centrepiece of this edition is not new at all: the first speedboat Ayrton Senna ever owned is on display, confirmed by Revista Náutica ahead of the opening. The exhibit ties the fair to a figure who remains one of Brazil’s most beloved sporting icons.
For casual visitors, it is the single most photographed object of the week. For the organisers, it is a bridge between the trade audience and the wider public that rarely walks a boat fair.
Practical Notes for Visitors
Tickets are sold through Sympla. Children under one metre in height enter free, though access to individual stands and boats is at each exhibitor’s discretion and remains the responsibility of accompanying adults.
Opening hours differ across the week: today 15:00 to 22:00, Friday 25 to Monday 28 September from 13:00 to 22:00, and the closing Tuesday from 13:00 to 21:00. São Paulo Expo sits on Rodovia dos Imigrantes with on-site parking, and traffic around the venue builds quickly at opening and closing times.
What We Could Not Confirm
Current ticket prices for this edition were not verifiable on official channels at the time of writing, and the organisers do not publish day-one attendance figures on the day itself. The full list of product premieres is released through the fair’s own channels as the week proceeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is the São Paulo Boat Show 2026?
The 29th edition runs from Thursday 24 to Tuesday 29 September 2026 at São Paulo Expo, on Rodovia dos Imigrantes in São Paulo.
What are the opening hours?
Opening day, 24 September, runs from 15:00 to 22:00. From 25 to 28 September the fair opens at 13:00 and closes at 22:00, and on the final day, 29 September, it runs from 13:00 to 21:00.
Where do I buy tickets?
Tickets are sold through Sympla, the official ticketing platform. Children under one metre tall enter free.
What is the Ayrton Senna exhibit?
The fair displays the first speedboat ever owned by three-time Formula One champion Ayrton Senna, confirmed by Revista Náutica as one of the special exhibitions of this edition.
Sources
São Paulo Boat Show (official) · Sympla (ticketing) · International Boat Industry · Revista Náutica
Connected Coverage
Planning your visit? Our complete guide covers tickets, transport, exhibitors and what to see across all six days.
Sources: São Paulo Boat Show (official channels); Sympla ticketing; International Boat Industry; Revista Náutica; The Rio Times event guide.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. How we use AI · Report an error
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