Our interview with Mark Young – a lifelong scuba diver and Publisher of industry magazines in the scuba industry. He started diving off the coast of Florida and his life changed! He discovered a whole new world.

Mark wants our readers to know about this annual trade show with international destination exhibitors he has invested in.

Splash into Summer at the 2025 Scuba Show

The Scuba Show invites all adventurous spirits to discover the world beneath the waves when it returns to the Long Beach Convention Center on Saturday, May 31 and Sunday, June 1, 2025. 

Now in its 38th year, the Scuba Show connects divers of all experience levels with the magic and adventure of marine environments. An ideal event for anyone who has ever considered taking up this inspiring water sport, the Scuba Show is the perfect place to explore how to get started.  For experienced divers, Scuba Show 2025 will feature over 260 exhibitors — from dive gear companies and travel destinations from around the world, to ocean-inspired jewelry and art — providing scuba enthusiasts with the latest in equipment and knowledge, as well as the inspiration to seek out their next dive adventure.

For the estimated 8,000 attendees, there’s plenty to see and do. Throughout the weekend, attendees can expect product demonstrations, travel specials, over 70 seminars, activities for children, “real” mermaids, and the opportunity to catch a magic act presented by the Scuba Magician.  Marine films are screened throughout the weekend in a 360˚ enclosed theater, immersing viewers in a “beneath the sea” experience. Both adults and kids are invited to help paint a colorful giant seascape mural.  A regular draw for attendees, all ticket holders have a chance to take home a piece of over $50,000 in gifts and prizes.

For those new to diving, first-timers are invited to don full scuba gear and try their hand at diving in a heated 15,000-gallon pool on the exhibit hall floor, under the supervision of experienced instructors.

The show is truly a “deep dive” into the educational aspects of the sport and features dozens of seminars on various specialized topics such as marine environments, foreign destinations, history, underwater photography, diving physiology, ocean weather forecasting, marine conservation, and more.  A sampling of this year’s seminars includes The Strange Creatures of the Sand, Mistakes Divers Make, Secrets of the Coral Reef, Traveling Safely to Remote Destinations, and A Fitness Formula for Divers, among many, many others.

The much-anticipated Saturday Night Party for attendees and vendors will take place at The Cove, an undersea-themed venue at the Convention Center. Starting right after the show closes, it will feature live sets by Woody and the Longboards, food trucks, a cash bar, a fundraising raffle and silent auction, and the California Scuba Service Award presentation.  The Saturday Night Party is free to attend for all ticket holders and show participants.

“Southern California is home to one of the largest concentrations of divers in North America,” said Scuba Show Producer Mark Young. “It is always a pleasure to engage with both the local and broader Western diving community and to present them with opportunities to learn more about what is under the waves and the sport we are so passionate about. Whether you are an experienced diver or want to know more about the sport, the Scuba Show welcomes you to explore the thrilling world of scuba diving.”

Single-day advance tickets range from $25 (single-day exhibit hall) to $40 (single-day exhibits plus seminars), and two-day passes are $75 (includes exhibit hall and seminars). Kids 13 and under are free. For more information and tickets, please visit www.scubashow.com. Tickets will also be sold at the door.

With summer heat around the corner, now is the time to take the plunge and explore the otherworldly sport of scuba diving. This year, the 38^th annual Scuba Show invites everyone intrigued with diving to swim away from the routine and dive deep into adventure at the nation’s largest consumer scuba exposition. Here are 10 great reasons to attend the 2025 Scuba Show:

1. Get Wet!  Visitors just need a swimsuit, towel, and a ticket to the exhibit hall to try diving at the 2025 Scuba Show. The 15,000-gallon heated pool is in the main exhibit hall, and any attendee over the age of 10 can experience scuba diving with the help of trained professionals. Anyone aged 12 and up can become fully certified in scuba diving, and there are divers who stay active into their 90’s. Children as young as 8 may join dive programs such as Bubblemakers, Seal Team, and Scuba Rangers. 

• Learn something new: Every year, hundreds of exhibitors fill the Long Beach Convention Center and participate in the Scuba Show. Between the floor exhibitors and the extensive list of educational seminars led by experts in their fields, there is something new for everyone to learn, from the most seasoned divers to someone who is a complete novice.

• Get inspired: Scuba diving can determine vacation plans or can become a part of them. Scuba diving is an adventure sport, and every dive is a new adventure! Show-goers can expect to walk away from the 2025 show with countless new and exotic destinations on their radar, including the Galapagos, Fiji, Palau, Yap, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Maldives, and Curacao, among many others.

• Win Amazing Prizes: This year, the Scuba Show has over $50,000 in door prizes, ranging from state-of-the-art dive equipment to stays at destinations worldwide. Dozens will walk away from the show having won valuable prizes – some worth hundreds or thousands of dollars – not bad for the cost of admission. 

• Get hands-on with conservation: The Scuba Show hosts many ocean-focused non-profits, all available to help attendees learn more about protecting marine life and underwater habitats.  Conservation-focused exhibitors include Reef Check Foundation, Fins Attached, Bleu World, Shark Stewards, Scuba Queen, Sea Save Foundation, White Abalone Restoration Consortium, The Historical Diving Society, and more.

•  Immerse Yourself in an Underwater Environment – Ready to chill?  Enter the 360˚ enclosed theater screening marine films and be surrounded by a non-stop “beneath the sea” experience.

• It’s an Ocean-focused Marketplace: Apart from everything else, Scuba Show is home to hundreds of exhibitors with the latest innovations in diving equipment, marine-inspired artwork, “just add water” fashions, the most technologically advanced timepieces, and cutting-edge photographic equipment. As the largest consumer show of its kind in the United States, there’s something for everyone who loves the ocean and marine life, even non-divers.

• Be Entertained:  Award-winning performer and PADI Instructor The Scuba Magician will dazzle show-goers daily on the show floor with his mastery of the magical arts.  Attendees are invited to line up early before Saturday’s doors open to participate in the “Welcome Show: Scuba Radio, Magic, Mermaids and Mayhem” featuring music and prize giveaways.

• One-of-a-Kind Party: The show’s legendary annual fundraising party is immediately after the show closes on Saturday evening and is included in the price of show admission. The Scuba Service Award will be presented, and the party features live entertainment, food trucks, and a cash bar.  Its popular fundraising raffle and silent auction, featuring coveted gear, trips, and artwork, will raise money for this year’s designated non-profit, to be announced.