A good time to buy a boat?

Would-be boat buyers, mark your calendars.

The 30th annual Charleston Boat Show, the Lowcountry’s largest boat show and sale, will be held Jan. 22–24 at the North Charleston Convention Center.

The region’s leading dealers will showcase the marine industry’s newest sport cruisers, motor and express yachts, center-consoles, bass boats, bowriders, deck and aluminum boats, ski and pontoon boats, runabouts, bay boats, flats skiffs and family cruisers. Many of them will be offered at dramatically discounted prices.

“This year I’m sure these boats are as low as they can possibly ever go,” said Jacqui Bomar, president of JBM & Associates, an event management and marketing company that oversees the show.

“They’re offering incredible discounts. The show is very well-known for great deals, not only for the expensive, nice boats but also for marine accessories and services.”

But there’s more to the show than striking a deal on a new dream boat. The show typically draws thousands of people to what has become an annual wintertime get-together for the boating and fishing crowd.

“This particular show is always so much fun,” Bomar said. “It’s a lot of families, and it’s a lot of the same people. It’s like this kick-off to the boating season and the fishing season. I just hope people will come on out and support the dealers.”

In addition to row upon row of boats, the show also includes booths for a variety of marine-related businesses, from local tackle shops and lure manufacturers to marine insurance agents and lenders. (Editor’s note: Look for the Tideline magazine booth again this year!)

One new vendor that caught Bomar’s eye is Ella Vickers, who will be exhibiting handcrafted bags and totes from her Recycled Sailcloth Collection.

“She designs these beautiful pocketbooks and big bags out of sailcloth,” Bomar said. “They’re amazing.”

This year’s event also will feature fishing seminars with top local guides covering a variety of inshore and offshore techniques.

For the kids, Larry Rackley of Yellowfin Gallery will offer art classes, and celebrity Capt. Don Dingman of “Hook the Future” will hold fishing clinics.

“There’s about $1,500 worth of kid’s fishing gear that will be given away,” Bomar said.

There will also be face painting and balloon art and inflatables.

And the S.C. Department of Natural Resources’ fishing simulator is always a big hit.

“It’s like virtual fishing,” she said. “Adults like it as much as kids.”

This year’s admission price has dropped from $9 to $8, and those who bring five canned goods will receive an additional $2 off. All of the food will be donated to the Lowcountry Food Bank.

Lowcountry Boils will provide Frogmore stew, barbecue pulled pork sandwiches, boiled peanuts and more.

The three-day event usually attracts between 7,000 and 10,000 people, Bomar said.

The Charleston Boat Show is sponsored by West Marine and Sea Tow. Stage presence sponsors are WEZL 103.5 and Tideline magazine. For more information about the show, visit thecharlestonboatshow.com

JBM & Associates will follow up the Charleston show with the eighth annual Savannah International Boat Show Feb. 26-28 at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center.

Reach Shannon Brigham at 843-958-7393 or sbrigham@postandcourier.com.