{"id":292907,"date":"2026-06-02T10:23:16","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T10:23:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/292907\/"},"modified":"2026-06-02T10:23:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T10:23:16","slug":"ipw-2026-inside-visit-lauderdales-closing-carnival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/292907\/","title":{"rendered":"IPW 2026: Inside Visit Lauderdale\u2019s Closing Carnival"},"content":{"rendered":"

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.\u2014From Monday, May 18, through Thursday, May 21, the annual IPW travel trade show, hosted by the\u00a0U.S. Travel Association<\/a>, touched down in Fort Lauderdale with five full days of exhibitions, off-site visits, destination-hosted activations, and more, in an effort to drive inbound international visitation to the U.S.\u00a0<\/p>\n

According to the U.S. Travel Association, IPW\u2019s efforts have driven more than 11 million international visitors to the U.S. over three years, generating more than $26 billion in spending, supporting 63,000 American jobs, and producing $3.3 billion in tax revenue.<\/p>\n

Drawing approximately 5,000 delegates (predominantly travel media and buyers) from more than 60 countries, convening paved the way for 75,000 business appointments connecting attendees with the U.S. travel industry to showcase the diversity of American travel.<\/p>\n

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In just 22 hours, the teams from Visit Lauderdale, the Broward County Convention Center, and a wide network of partners transformed the 6.5-acre Plaza along the Intracoastal Waterway into a full-fledged carnival. Photo: Ian Centrone<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s host,\u00a0Visit Lauderdale<\/a>, showcased lively Fort Lauderdale Beach, along with various venues around town to share historic sites, iconic hotels, and trending local hot spots with international attendees. However, the recently renovated Broward County Convention Center (BCCC), which underwent a $1.1 billion renovation, was center stage, serving as the trade show’s home base, from the East Hall\u2019s 65,000-square-foot Atlantic Ballroom, which hosted the all-day Media Marketplace and various sponsored luncheons, to the 350,000-square-foot exhibition floor.\u00a0<\/p>\n

To close IPW on Thursday, May 21, the BCCC\u2019s 6.5-acre outdoor Plaza was transformed from the daily alfresco luncheon area to a spacious waterfront carnival, the ultimate surprise-and-delight grand finale steeped in nostalgic Americana. The load-in began at 6 p.m. the night prior, and all teams worked through the night to ensure setup was complete. A carnival barker was even stationed between the Plaza and BCCC on Thursday morning to build anticipation for the closing event.<\/p>\n

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A juggler on stilts welcomed attendees to the closing carnival event. Photo: Ian Centrone<\/p>\n

\u201cWe chose an Americana-style carnival because it connects the energy of America\u2019s 250th anniversary with the freedom and joy at the heart of our \u2018Never Lose Your Splash\u2019 brand campaign,\u201d shared\u00a0Stacey Ritter<\/a>, president and CEO of Visit Lauderdale. \u201cThis milestone is about celebrating the spirit of possibility that defines our country, and the carnival environment captures that perfectly: open, playful, and alive with self-expression.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ritter noted that, as a younger state, Florida\u2019s story is rooted in reinvention and optimism, and this theme enabled the Visit Lauderdale team to honor the upcoming 250th anniversary in a way that felt authentic to Greater Fort Lauderdale. Leaning into a sense of release and joy was both playful and earned after long days inside BCCC\u2019s various meeting rooms, ballrooms, and on the exhibition floor.<\/p>\n

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Water gun racing was a popular carnival game for both American destination reps and international attendees alike. Photo: Ian Centrone<\/p>\n

\u201dAfter days of meetings, negotiations, and nonstop activity, people crave a place where they can unwind, indulge, and simply have fun,\u201d Ritter explained.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The event was three years in the making and required \u201cexceptional collaboration\u201d across Ritter\u2019s entire team, the BCCC (which was under renovation for most of the three-year span), and a wide network of partners. She cites long-range planning, disciplined coordination, and a shared commitment to excellence as the overarching recipe for success.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause the plaza offers so much open space, we had the freedom\u2014and responsibility\u2014to build an environment entirely from the ground up,\u201d admitted Ritter. \u201cThat meant constant communication, on-site problem-solving, and the flexibility to pivot quickly as elements evolved. What you ultimately saw was the result of many teams working seamlessly together to bring a bold idea to life, and it showcased the capacity of our destination to deliver large-scale, high-impact experiences with creativity and excellence.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Attendees participated in a live \u201cNever Lose Your Splash\u201d mural painting by the waterfront. Photo: Ian Centrone<\/p>\n

The carnival offered an authentic and timeless American experience, complete with indulgent eats, like candy apples, funnel cakes, corndogs, cotton candy, and popcorn; carnival rides, including a focal point Ferris wheel, bumper cars, and a carousel; and carnival games like the high striker, skee-ball, water gun racing, and hoop shot.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe nostalgia of a carnival taps into something universal: a reminder of play, spontaneity, and the freedom to be in the moment,\u201d shared Ritter, \u201cThat\u2019s exactly how we want people to remember Greater Fort Lauderdale.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

And instead of oversize stuffed animals, winners were awarded event-branded prizes featuring Visit Lauderdale, IPW, and America 250 anniversary, which Ritter said allowed attendees to leave with a piece of Greater Fort Lauderdale, and more broadly, the U.S., in hand to forge a deeper connection.<\/p>\n

In addition to the carnival magic, attendees participated in a \u201cNever Lose Your Splash\u201d-themed live mural painting. They also embarked on a local brewpub crawl with a stampable passport, sampling the thriving craft beer scene. Once the passport had five stamps, it could be cashed in for Visit Lauderdale apparel (T-shirts, fanny packs, and hats). Other destination partners within Greater Fort Lauderdale activated along the perimeter to further educate about the region. Attendees also enjoyed an Americana barbecue with brisket and coleslaw picnic-style on the Plaza lawn, while a cover band curated a lengthy setlist of American and Latin hits. Bubbles wafted in the air, jugglers, aerialists, and stilt walkers entertained, and a flyboarder soared along the Intracoastal Waterway, evoking resounding oohs and aahs.<\/p>\n

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Attendees watched \u201cflyboards” in action, which propel riders up into the air using water jet propulsion. Photo: Ian Centrone<\/p>\n

\u201cThe joy, freedom, and sense of possibility that define our destination were all present that evening,\u201d concluded Ritter. \u201cGuests weren\u2019t just hearing about our brand\u2014they were experiencing it firsthand. Our goal was that attendees left the event feeling lighter, inspired, and connected to the unique experiences that define Greater Fort Lauderdale. We wanted them to carry home not just memories of a great event, but a genuine understanding of why this is a place where you can relax, recharge, and truly \u2018Never Lose Your Splash.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Continue scrolling to see key vendors and more moments from IPW 2026\u2019s closing carnival, produced by Visit Lauderdale…<\/p>\n

VENDORS<\/p>\n

Audiovisual Production:\u00a0Everlast Productions<\/a>
Carnival Vendors:\u00a0Event Co.
Catering:\u00a0Legends Global\u00a0<\/a>
Entertainment:\u00a0Eureka Circus<\/a>,\u00a0All About Entertainment<\/a>,\u00a0Jet Car Rentals Fort Lauderdale<\/a>,\u00a0Aqua Flight<\/a>,\u00a0Tiki Taco Cruises<\/a>,\u00a0Wicked Molly \u2013 Hard Rock Cafe<\/a>
Event Management:\u00a0Legends Global<\/a>, BCCC Events Team, Visit Lauderdale
Production:\u00a0Everlast Productions<\/a>
Scenic Fabrication:\u00a0All About Entertainment<\/a><\/p>\n

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A Visit Lauderdale float with palm trees acted as a waterside backdrop for final IPW 2026 photos. Photo: Ian Centrone<\/p>\n

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Planted in the center of the Plaza\u2014and in plain sight\u2014the Ferris wheel was a focal point that drew attention and curiosity leading up to the carnival. Photo: Ian Centrone<\/p>\n

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Attendees took their best hoop shot to win America 250, IPW, and Visit Lauderdale prizes. Photo: Ian Centrone<\/p>\n

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Bumper cars encouraged friendly play. Photo: Ian Centrone<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.\u2014From Monday, May 18, through Thursday, May 21, the annual IPW travel trade show, hosted by…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":292908,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[249,251,250],"class_list":["post-292907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fort-lauderdale","tag-fort-lauderdale","tag-fort-lauderdale-headlines","tag-fort-lauderdale-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/292907","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=292907"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/292907\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/292908"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=292907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=292907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=292907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}