Scuba Show returns to Long Beach with new Main Stage and VR experience

By AI, Created 11:31 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Scuba Show 2026 will return to the Long Beach Convention Center on May 30-31 for its 39th year, bringing more than 300 exhibitors, seminars and hands-on dive experiences. The expo is aimed at divers and first-timers alike, with new attractions including a Main Stage, virtual reality shipwreck exploration and a keynote from commercial diver Chris Lemons.

Why it matters: - Scuba Show is one of North America’s biggest consumer scuba events, drawing divers, dive-curious attendees and industry exhibitors under one roof. - The 2026 edition adds new programming and interactive features that broaden its appeal beyond experienced divers. - The show also gives first-timers a low-pressure way to try scuba in a supervised setting.

What happened: - Scuba Show 2026 will take place May 30-31 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California. - The event marks its 39th year. - More than 300 exhibitors are scheduled, including many new companies this year. - The show will include dive gear brands, travel destinations, product demos, seminars, workshops and speaker sessions. - Children 16 and under can attend free.

The details: - Attendees can enter a heated 15,000-gallon pool on the exhibit hall floor to try scuba gear with experienced instructors. - The weekend lineup includes travel specials, inspiring speakers and informational sessions. - Visitors can take photos at a dive-themed booth, pose in a real shark cage and use virtual reality to explore a deep-water shipwreck in the Baltic Sea. - Ticket holders will be entered to win part of more than $50,000 in gifts and prizes. - Three seminar rooms will be organized around Adventure, Inspiration and Underwater Imaging themes. - Seminar topics will cover marine environments, international diving destinations, underwater photography and video, diving physiology, ocean weather forecasting and marine conservation. - A new Main Stage will sit in the center of the exhibit hall and feature a large video wall. - Chris Lemons will deliver the keynote. The commercial diver survived 40 minutes on the bottom of the North Sea after a freak accident cut him off from surface-supplied gas, light and heat. - Lemons’ story inspired a feature documentary and the 2025 thriller Last Breath, starring Woody Harrelson, Finn Cole and Simu Liu. - Other Main Stage speakers will include MC and Hollywood stunt performer Liz Parkinson, freediving and tech diving instructor Kirk Krack, explorer and cave diver Patrick Widmann, and underwater photographer and filmmaker Annie Crawley. - Tickets include all-access entry to the exhibition hall and seminar rooms. - Single-day tickets cost $33 with unlimited re-entry. - Two-day weekend passes cost $60. - VIP passes cost $100 and include the weekend pass, six issues of Scuba Diver North America, six issues of California Diving News and a Scuba Show T-shirt. - Tickets will also be sold at the door. - More information and tickets are available at Scuba Show’s website.

Between the lines: - The addition of a Main Stage signals a bigger emphasis on live storytelling and marquee speakers. - The VR shipwreck feature and try-it pool point to a strategy of making diving feel accessible to beginners as well as enthusiasts. - The show is positioning education, conservation and adventure as equal parts of the experience.

What’s next: - Scuba Show will open in Long Beach on Saturday, May 30, at 9:30 a.m. and run through Sunday, May 31, at 4 p.m. - The event is expected to continue building around seminars, exhibitor discovery and hands-on demonstrations. - Scuba Show also has a 2026 location in Atlantic City, New Jersey, expanding its footprint beyond California.

The bottom line: - Scuba Show 2026 is betting that a mix of education, interactivity and big-name speakers will keep the long-running dive expo relevant for veterans and newcomers alike.