Spring boat & cottage show opens in Orillia

Boat show season begins It’s boat season and that it’s time for boating shows, like the one happening this weekend in Orillia.

A festival 32 years in the making is returning to the Port of Orillia this weekend.

The Spring Boat, Cottage and Green Technology Show is reopening from Friday to Sunday after a two-year pandemic hiatus.

This year's environmental theme features a hybrid side-by-side ATV, a four-wheel-drive buggy, and a hybrid Hyundai.

"We're also getting electric boats from On Your Way Marine in from Quebec," said Doug Bunker, an event organizer with the Orillia District Chamber of Commerce.

Billed as one of Ontario's largest in-water boat sales, buyers, sellers, and visitors can ogle boats, as well as visit dozens of vendors offering green initiatives, food trucks and cottage and outdoor lifestyle booths.

Reviewing the state of tourism in Orillia now that the COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, Mike Ladouceur, interim director of business development, culture and tourism, said the city is experiencing a positive rebound.

Ladouceur said, overall, tourism is recovering at a great pace from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Using hotel occupancy rates as a gauge of tourism, Ladouceur noted both July and August 2021 rebounded to 67 per cent and 76 per cent respectively, when shutdowns were lifted last year. He compared that to the fourth quarter of 2020 at 43 per cent and December 2021, which recorded a dismal 39 per cent occupancy rate during the pandemic shutdowns.

Ladouceur said Orillia is projecting similar summer numbers for this year and has already seen a six-to-10 per cent increase in bookings.

"We're happy and satisfied with our current state," Ladouceur said.

Bunker said aside from the boats, one of the most popular attractions of the Spring boat show has always been the duck-diving dog dock contest.

"We've had great Dane-like dogs to Yorkshire terriers jump off the dock to grab a stick. People love dogs, and they line up to see this event."