Surf Expo January 2026 ran January 7–9, 2026 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida — the opening edition of Surf Expo's 50th anniversary year and, per show organizers, the best-attended January edition in recent memory.
Emerald X, which owns and runs the show, reported a 15% year-over-year increase in attending retail companies versus January 2025, citing the jump as evidence of strong post-holiday retail confidence heading into 2026. (Source: Surf Expo post-show recap, Jan 15, 2026)
In the official recap, Show Director Roy Turner described the tone of the January edition:
"Surf Expo January reflected a market that is confident and ready to do business. Buyers weren't just browsing — they came with plans shaped by strong holiday performance and a clear vision for the year ahead."
Turner also flagged the Shoreline Outdoor segment as a standout, noting that outdoor "remains a resilient and evolving category at Surf Expo."
The January 2026 floor reflected the broader rebalancing that has shaped Surf Expo in recent years:
Matrix CEO Tony Prisco described "a steady stream of buyers at the booth for the entire show" and committed to a larger booth for a return visit. Dani Bihlear, buyer at Palmetto Moon, said the edition "felt like an old-school show" — with the fashion shows, surf simulators, and artists painting surfboards adding to the energy. Kyrra Lewandowski, senior buyer at K-Coast Surf Shop, singled out Surf Expo's mix of heritage brands and new entrants: "accessibility to brands both new and old is top notch."
On opening day, OluKai premiered "We Go: Path to The Eddie" Season 2 on the show floor, with Eddie Champion Luke Shepardson in attendance as the featured guest. The premiere drew significant floor traffic and was one of the most visible brand activations of the edition. (Coverage)
The full January 2026 exhibitor list and floor plan are archived on the organizer's site: surfexpo.com — Floor Plan & Exhibitor List.
Show organizers maintain a public photo archive on Flickr: Surf Expo on Flickr. For press or editorial image licensing, contact Emerald X's Surf Expo team via the press coverage page.
The momentum from January 2026 rolls directly into the September 16–18, 2026 edition — the 50th anniversary show in its marquee anniversary moment. The next January edition follows on January 6–8, 2027.
Surf Expo January 2026 ran January 7–9, 2026 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
Per the organizer's post-show recap, attending retail companies were up 15% year-over-year versus January 2025. A specific attendee headcount was not published.
Surf Expo is owned and produced by Emerald X. Roy Turner serves as Show Director.
The next edition is Surf Expo September 16–18, 2026 — the 50th anniversary show — also at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. The following edition is January 6–8, 2027.
