Wylie Walleye, the star of the New Year’s Eve Walleye Drop in Port Clinton, will be available at the Cleveland Boat Show for selfies and family photos.

The Progressive Cleveland Boat Show and Fishing Expo was delayed in mid-January, but the 65th edition of the show will finally drop anchor at the Cleveland I-X Center adjacent to the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport on March 17-20 with a myriad of boating and fishing exhibits.

That’s great news for a boating area such as Port Clinton and Ottawa County, which sends the lion’s share of marine dealers and boating and fishing exhibits to the big city every winter for the show.

The show will be open Thursday and Friday, March 17-18, from noon to 9 p.m.; Saturday, March 19, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, March 20, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $16 online and $18 dollars at the door, with discounts for seniors and military members. Kids seven and under get in free.

For more information, including a list of the exhibitors on hand, visit www.clevelandboatshow.com.

There will be a lot of familiar faces for visitors from the Lake Erie Islands and Port Clinton area, the well-known Walleye Capital of the World, including bowls of Lobster Bisque at the Boardwalk’s Put-in-Bay exhibit. Be sure to stop at Lake Erie Shores & Islands for information on boating, fishing and the Lake Erie Water Trail maps for kayakers.

This year’s boat show should be interesting, with boat prices soaring around the country and many dealers struggling to receive new boats to show off at boat shows. Show veterans predict 50,000 visitors will take in the Cleveland Boat Show, which was canceled in 2021 and delayed this year from mid-January. All of the glitches have been due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Lake Erie Marine Trades Association, which puts on the iconic Cleveland Boat Show, is designed not only to showcase a wide array of boats, but to welcome new boat owners to the boating lifestyle, say officials. The pandemic saw record boat sales, and vendors from boat brands and adjacent industries will be on hand to sell products and provide entertainment.

Visitors can expect sailing simulations, food trucks, demonstrations from fishing pros and a variety of family activities, including lawn games, magic shows and the popular ‘Twiggy, the Water-Skiing Squirrel’ performance. Plus, a bunch of on-site grub.

Looking ahead, the Progressive Catawba Island Boat Show will be held on April 29-May 1 at the Catawba Island Club on the Catawba Peninsula.