Attendee FAQ
How can I make the most out of ICAST?
All ICAST attendees are required to wear a badge. Buyers, media members and exhibitors are all signified by a different kind of badge. You will need to register for a badge and pick it up before stepping onto the ICAST show floor.
Register online in advance for your badge and make plans to pick it up in person at the ICAST Registration Desk, located near the main entrance in the Orange County Convention Center’s South Concourse. Our friendly staff will be able to connect you with the credentials you need to access the trade show.
Once you’re registered for ICAST, it’s time to book a hotel room in Orlando. Keep in mind that while the trade show floor is open for three days, the entire week of ICAST is brimming with activities from Monday through Friday. Arrive early to participate in events like the Lunkers & Bunkers golf scramble, ICAST On the Water Demo Day, the New Product Showcase Reception and the ICAST Cup.
The area surrounding the Orange County Convention Center is a hub for hotels and entertainment. Options within walking distance to ICAST abound on International Drive. ICAST shuttles are also available at many nearby hotels like the Hyatt, Hilton and Rosen Centre.
The ICAST app is by far the most convenient way to organize your week in Orlando. Available on both iOS and Android, the ICAST app houses a map of the show floor, a storable list of exhibitors, a QR scanner to save contact information of other attendees you meet at the show, live push notifications of ongoing activities and an event calendar. Attendees can also reach out to exhibitors ahead of time to schedule meetings via the ICAST app. Attendees can even get a sneak peek of the New Product Showcase via the ICAST app on Monday, a full two days before the show door opens.
The app is simple to use—essential for attending and maximizing your time.
Orlando is one of the nation’s busiest convention cities and a premier destination for tourists traveling to theme parks. The city typically hosts well over 70 million travelers annually, and its transportation ecosystem is set up to handle that traffic well.
The Orange County Convention Center sits about 11 miles from Orlando International Airport (MCO) and the Brightline high-speed rail station. Transfer typically takes less than 20 minutes. However, the convention center sits almost 40 miles from Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB). If you’re arriving at Sanford, plan for up to an hour of travel time.
The most popular methods for traveling to and from the convention center are ride-share apps like Uber and Lyft. However, Orlando also offers taxi services. If you’re out and about on International Drive, you might also find rickshaw drivers ferrying guests to restaurants, bars and hotels.
Veteran attendees say they almost always have a meeting schedule set up prior to arrival in Orlando. Often, first time ICAST attendees find themselves with more flexibility and more time to make new connections.
Before touchdown in Orlando, browse the ICAST app to get a general overview of the show schedule. Educational opportunities like those at ICAST Lunch & Learn seminars take place on the show floor during show hours. It’s recommended to know which seminars might interest you and your business the most and make time to attend. Likewise, fly casting demonstrations, lure tank presentations and viewing times for the New Product Showcase can also be scouted out in advance.
Buyers and media editorial attendees also have the ability to attend the New Product Showcase Preview Reception on Tuesday evening to vote for ICAST Best of Category and Overall Best of Show winners.
ICAST is tailor-made for buyers to see new products and maximize their return on investment.
In addition to having access to the New Product Showcase Preview Reception, buyers attending ICAST have access to a slew of special activities on the show floor. Buyers can enter special raffles on-site when placing orders at ICAST. They can also attend ICAST On the Water Demo Day, register to fish in the ICAST Cup or play in the Lunkers & Bunkers golf scramble and enter to win special prizes like a fishing trip to Crocodile Bay, Costa Rica.
On the show floor itself, buyers gain access to the ICAST Fly Shop, ICAST Fly Fishing Village, legendary ICAST social hours and convenient casting ponds.
Attendee FAQs
The official start date of ICAST is Tuesday, July 15th where attendees can visit our On the Water Product Demo Day in the morning and the New Product Showcase Preview Reception that evening. The show floor officially opens on Wednesday, July 16th. To view the entire schedule, click here.
ICAST is located at the Orange County Convention Center in the South Concourse.
Address: 9800 International Dr, Orlando FL 32819
ICAST is a trade only event. Attendance is restricted to the fishing and outdoor industry. The show is not open to the public. View our list of badge categories and badge requirements.
Attendee registration will open mid-February 2025.
Attendee Admission Requirements
Show policy requires that proper identification be provided to be approved for attendance at ICAST. Documentation is used to demonstrate that both the company and the individual trying to register is currently active in the fishing and outdoor trade industries.
ICAST requires individual unique email addresses for attendees, exhibiting personnel and media.
The reasons for this are:
- Using a unique email address will allow each badge holder to utilize and customize the online show planner and the show’s mobile app.
- All attendees will be able to receive timely show information and communications.
- Finally, the use of unique email addresses will help us in identifying non-qualified attendees.
With your help, we can ensure that all exhibitors and attendees receive all the information they need, are able to utilize the show planner to its fullest and help us in our continued efforts to ensure ICAST remains a trade-only event with qualified attendees and exhibiting personnel.
Once you have pre-registered for the show and been accepted to attend, you will automatically receive an invitation letter via email as long as you entered your international address during the application process.
All pre-registered badges are picked up on site using the QR code in your approval email at one of the scan and go locations at the South Concourse of the Orange County Convention Center. If you did not pre-register before the June 9th deadline, then you will need to register in person at the show during registration hours listed here.
Children below the age of 16 can attend if they are always in the presence of an adult. Daycare is not offered. They will need to obtain a daily guest badge from registration to enter. Attendees 16 years of age or older will need to register for a badge and provide proof of involvement in the sportfishing industry.
Attendee Admission Requirements
Yes, they will need to register under the same badge category as the main registrant.
In your badge approval email, you can login through a secure link to the attendee portal and book your room(s).
ICAST’s official housing partner is Eventsphere. We’ve negotiated travel discounts and secured a limited number of reduced-rate hotel rooms to make your trip to Orlando affordable. Through the travel experts at Eventsphere, rooms at the group rate are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
BEWARE OF UNAUTHORIZED SOLICITATIONS– Please note that Eventsphere is the only official housing company associated with ICAST. While other hotel resellers may contact you offering housing for your trip, they are not endorsed by or affiliated with the show. Beware that entering into financial agreements with non-endorsed companies can have costly consequences. View our authorized vendors list.
If your application to attend the show was declined, it may be because you did not provide the documentation required or it was determined that you do not demonstrate the required professional affiliation. View a list of acceptable forms of documentation. This list provides details of ways in which you can demonstrate eligibility to attend.
If you wish to appeal, please email a request to myates@asafishing.org or call 703-967-9594. Please note, ASA reserves the right to deny registration to any individual. Your attempt to register is an application to attend, not a confirmation that you are approved.
NO animals except for properly identified on-duty ADA recognized service animals.
No. Show badges constitute a limited, revocable license to the named badge holder to attend ICAST. Badges cannot be reproduced, sold, shared or otherwise transferred to another person. Show badges are the property of the Show and may be revoked at any time for any reason.
Yes, there are a variety of dining options inside the exhibit hall.
Yes, scooters and wheelchairs are available through Scootaround. Advance reservations are encouraged for a scooter or wheelchair rental by visiting the Scootaround website. Please call 1-888-441-7575 for more information.
Pick-up and drop-off locations for scooters and wheelchairs are located at the FedEx Office Business Centers in the respective concourses.
The New Product Showcase is your opportunity to see the latest and greatest innovations in tackle, gear, apparel and accessories that enhance the on-the-water, recreational fishing experience. Each year over 900 products are entered and voted on for the “Best of Show” and “Best of Category” awards. Winners are selected by credentialed buyers and media who vote in the New Product Showcase.
The exhibitor list can be found here. In July before the show, we recommend downloading the ICAST app, where you can find the floor plan, exhibitor list, schedule of events, etc.
For attendees who plan on driving, the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) has on-site vehicle parking at the North-South Buildings, closest to ICAST.
Parking rates vary depending on vehicle size and entry time. Parking spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis. For those who plan on driving to the convention center, event-specific parking areas will be listed on roadway signage on International Drive, Universal Boulevard and the surrounding area.
To find more information on parking please visit the Orange County Convention Centers website.
We also have shuttle service available to and from the hotels listed in the official ICAST room block.
