Toronto Boat Show has something for everyone.

Come join other GLCC members at the Toronto International Boat Show. In addition to seeing the show, consider being a volunteer at GLCC’s booth: It’s easy, convenient and great fun, and it provides a free pass to the rest of the show.

The 68th Toronto show is at the enormous Enercare Centre at Exhibition Place on the Toronto waterfront. The show kicks off Saturday Jan.17 and runs daily through Sunday Jan. 25. This is the 25th year the Great Lakes Cruising Club has exhibited at the show.

If you’re visiting the show, be sure to stop by the GLCC exhibit at our prime location in the concourse between the main exhibit hall and the Mariner’s Marketplace. You will be warmly greeted by our volunteers. Better yet, volunteer to take a shift at our booth yourself. Volunteer opportunities and seminar offerings abound.

Volunteering is easy

The GLCC depends on Club volunteers to staff the GLCC’s booth. If you live in the Toronto area or plan to visit the show from afar, please consider helping at the GLCC exhibit.

Over the nine days of the show, the Club has 20 shifts to fill, each lasting between 3 and 4 hours. Thanks to some of our volunteers from past years, we have already filled some of the shifts for the 2026 show. The schedule showing still-available shifts is at this link. The schedule is updated every time a shift is filled so the posted schedule is always current. Contact Dave Spencer at spencerdd@gmail.com or by text / phone at 519-520-1399 with your preferred shift.

Why should I volunteer?

• Club volunteers receive an exhibitor badge that grants free access for all nine days of the show.
• There is absolutely no hard-sell expectation, just a willingness to be friendly and chat with visitors about cruising and the GLCC.
• The Club is offering a Boat Show Special that waives the $90 USD initiation fee for new members.
• You don’t need to be an experienced cruiser to volunteer. The perspectives of newer members about the GLCC and cruising are just as valuable as those of longer-term Club members.
• The GLCC has a booth that reflects well on the Club. The booth has a backdrop showing a nautical chart of all the Great Lakes. Visitors enjoy pointing out their home marina and their favorite places to cruise – all of which help initiate conversations.

Past volunteers say the show is a fun way to meet people and share experiences as a member of the GLCC. It’s particularly pleasant to talk about cruising with like-minded boaters in the dead of winter. Clear instructions are provided on how the booth works and what volunteers’ duties involve.

Seminar offerings

A popular boat show feature is the extensive lineup of free seminars presented continuously on four stages throughout the show. There’s something for everyone, including a transparent fish tank stocked with Ontario game fish, and fishing experts showing how to catch them.

Cruising boaters will be interested in the numerous boating skills and cruising destination seminars. The GLCC is the largest contributor to the boat show’s seminar lineup: The Club will have five of our expert members presenting on six subjects over 14 seminars at the 2026 show.

• Summer in Paradise – The Fabled North Channel and Northern Georgian Bay by Port Captain Roy Eaton
• Your Great Loop: Planning the Trip of a Lifetime by Heather and Cam Stevens
• Lake Erie: Our Great Lakes' Southern Gem by Port Captain Mark Gagyi
• Cruising the Best of Georgian Bay by Rear Commodore David Spencer
• Cruising the Bay of Quinte and the Thousand Islands by retired Rear Commodore Eric Sunstrum
• Exploring the Spectacular North Channel by Rear Commodore David Spencer

The Toronto show also boasts the “world’s largest indoor lake,”  with product demonstrations, waterskiing and wakeboarding shows, SUP races and free boat rides in one of the many kayaks, canoes and pedal boats available at the show. Here is an interesting short video on how the 8,000-seat Coca-Cola Coliseum is transformed from a hockey arena to “The Lake.” (LINK HERE)