Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/306360
May 2014 | Boating Industry | 39 www.BoatingIndustry.com been a focus for it. "We've always known about National Ma- rina Day and have some marinas that have been supporting it for years here, but we really got behind it last year and ended up having 14 marinas participate," Harris said. To get marinas motivated to participate, the NMTA offered up to $500 to pay some of their expenses for the event. Even if it was only enough to allow them to cover the hot dogs and sodas for a barbecue, it was an im- portant fi rst step. "On one hand, $500 doesn't seem like a lot, but on the other hand the money's got to come from somewhere," he said. "It really got these marinas fi red up." The association also used its Grow Boating funds to run ads in local publications promot- ing the day and the businesses involved and promoted it through social media. NMTA will be offering the credit and running the ads again this year. All told, about 1,300 people attended the events put on by NMTA members and every marina that participated in 2013 plans on having a National Marina Day event this year, said Katie McPhail, NMTA's boat show director. "We had some very positive reports," she said. "Even those marinas that didn't draw as well have lots of ideas to grow the events this year." Marinas that partnered with other organi- zations and vendors seemed to have the most success, McPhail said. She specifi cally cited the example of Port of Edmonds in Edmonds, Wash., which built an event fi lled with education, music and food. The marina invited other groups to set up booths to provide information for attend- ees, resulting in an event with reps from yacht clubs, non-copper paint companies, Washing- ton State Fish and Wildlife and local hatch- eries, and performances by local high school jazz musicians. MARKET FOCUS SECTION { MARINAS } The best National Marina Day events offer a variety of activities to bring people to the marina. P38x39-BI14MAY-MarketFocus.indd 39 4/17/14 10:53 AM