The 47th edition of the Cannes Yachting Festival, Europe’s largest in-water boat show and the season’s premier sailing event, is set to take place from September 10 to 15, 2024, in the heart of the French Riviera. Stretching from the Vieux Port to Port Canto, the festival will feature a new 2,000 m² marina and showcase over 160 new products and world premieres. With 600 exhibitors from around the globe presenting nearly 700 boats—ranging from 5 to 50 meters in length—the event promises an unparalleled display of the latest in the international boating sector.
A new layout for a spectacular showcase
This year, a significant addition is the new Power Boat Marina at Port Canto, which will display approximately 350 boats, rivaling the number at the Vieux Port. For the first time, visitors can circumnavigate Port Canto in a 2.5 km loop, featuring dedicated quaysides for various types of boats. The new marina will house 170 motor boats, including both in-water and onshore exhibits, alongside a selection of outboard engines.
Additionally, Port Canto will host 120 new sailboats over 10 meters long and around 50 previously-owned large yachts in its Sailing and Yacht Brokerage areas. Visitors will enjoy convenient access between these areas and sea trials via traversantes—pontoons with motorized central sections.
The Power Boat Marina will also feature a new dining area with 130 tables overlooking the boats, and a VIP Club on the roof of the Harbour Master’s Office, offering a panoramic view of Port Canto. Sixty exhibitors will be present in this marina, showcasing the latest in boating technology and design.
Enhancements at the Vieux Port
In the city’s heart, the Vieux Port remains the central hub for the motor boat industry. It will display 350 new boats from 10 to 50 meters in length, including monohulls and multihulls with both rigid and semi-rigid hulls. Notable enhancements include:
– A new main entrance near the famous Film Festival steps and the Croisette.
– Engine manufacturers exhibiting along the beach opposite the Palais.
– A new entrance at the Pantiero, accessible to visitors, journalists, and exhibitors.
Sylvie Ernoult, director of the Cannes Yachting Festival, highlights the significance of this year’s event: “2024 represents a year of adaptation and new opportunities for the Cannes Yachting Festival. With the works on the Vieux Port underway, we have redesigned the organisation of certain areas to replace them with other different and innovative spaces, such as the creation of a new large marina in Port Canto. The exhibition teams have risen to the challenge, and I am very enthusiastic and proud of the next edition we will be offering our exhibitors and visitors. Once again the Cannes Yachting Festival will be a magnificent setting for all these jewels of the seas and will highlight the unique craftsmanship and experts in boat building.”
Innovation and sustainability at the forefront
The 2024 festival will also feature an “Innovation Route,” highlighting environmentally friendly and groundbreaking nautical technologies. This initiative will showcase advancements in engines, propulsion, waste management, eco-design, and innovative materials, emphasizing the industry’s commitment to sustainability.
“Like all the others, the marine industry cannot avoid environmental challenges, and has understood that it has to evolve to meet the sector’s decarbonisation needs and the new requirements of boaters,” Ernoult explains. “It seemed vital to us to make our contribution to the effort by recognizing the efforts our exhibitors are making and the energy they are putting into building the future of the nautical sector.”
Practical information
Location: Vieux Port and Port Canto, Cannes
Dates: Tuesday, September 10 to Sunday, September 15, 2024
Opening Hours:
– Tuesday to Thursday: 10 am to 7 pm
– Friday: 10 am to 10 pm (Night-time)
– Saturday: 10 am to 7 pm
– Sunday: 10 am to 6 pm
For more details: cannesyachtingfestival.com
