Houseboat Magazine

aquaPalooza Keeps Getting Bigger Houseboaters join in on the fun By Brady L. Kay F FOR THE SIxTH TIME IN A ROW since its debut in 2006, AquaPalooza broke its own records in 2011 with an amazing total of approximately 15,600 boats and 90,000 people showing up to share in a grand celebration of the boating lifestyle. In fact, in the past six years, AquaPalooza has more than tripled in size. The annual event is not just limited to one location. Mari- nas all over the country come together to celebrate and the 123 total individual events last summer made AquaPalooza the most successful yet. AquaPalooza is the name given to a series of on-water celebrations held during the last two weekends in July at locations around the world. Created by Sea Ray Boats, AquaPalooza is free and open to all boaters and non- boaters. Each gathering features fun activities for family and friends of all ages, such as live entertainment, games, giveaways and much more. Mead Celebration Houseboat magazine crashed one of these parties last summer that was held on Lake Mead in Nevada. Over 800 boats and thousands of people attended the packed cove event that included boats ranging from houseboats, speed- boats and pontoons, all the way down to PWCs. "This was the first time we had ever attended one of these and it was great," says Lisa Buckley who came with her husband Bryan. "If we had known how much fun it was going to be we would have been to more of them and we're of course planning on being to the one this year." 46 HOUSEBOAT MAgAzinE Summer 2012 Family Business Marine Center of Las Vegas, Dry Dock Boat Sales, Las Vegas Boat Harbor and Lake Mead Marina all helped put on the AquaPalooza Boating Party Lake Mead 2011. All four companies are owned and operated by the Gripentog family and have been in the boating industry in southern Nevada since 1957. Candice Nelson-Hayes is the sales manager at Dry Dock Boat Sales Marine Center of Las Vegas, but for this large event she also doubles as the event coordinator. Being in charge of something of this magnitude is no easy task, but it's something she looks forward to organizing each year. Candice and her staff worked overtime to create a fun, family- friendly environment that include live music, food and just an overall fun environment to celebrate the boating lifestyle. Candice works with a lot of her family members, but it's her grandmother Betty Gripentog that is still the owner and is still very involved with the business. Next Big Event Plans are already in the works for the July 28, 2012 party on Lake Mead, so that means Candice is already if full coor- dinator mode as she attempts to top what was done last year. For more information on the marina as well as the July 28 event, visit www.boatinglakemead.com.

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