Newport International Boat Show Map 2024

Artist, Illustrator, Designer: John Potter - Escape Key Graphics
Client: Informa Markets

About the Show

The Newport International Boat Show is one of the largest and most respected boat shows in the Northeast. It takes place each September across more than seventeen acres in historic downtown Newport, Rhode Island. The show spreads across multiple interconnected sites including the Newport Yachting Center, Hammetts Hotel, Perry Mill Wharf, Bowen's Wharf, Bannisters Wharf, and Market Square. The venue is dense and the line between the show and the surrounding neighborhood is softer than at most other shows I work on.

I have been illustrating and designing the official map for this show since 2012. Over that time the show has evolved through several ownership and management changes.

A Year of Transition

2024 was the first year that the Newport International Boat Show fell under the management of Informa Markets. The staff I generally worked with remained unchanged, and I already had a working relationship with Informa from other shows. So this change was probably more stressful on everyone else than on me.

At this point, the maps I had been making for Informa's other shows were based on three dimensional digital models. They were no longer vector based axonometric illustrations like the Newport map. In both cases I had a master file of the venue that I revised each year. But beyond that, the two techniques had little in common and the look was very different.

I discussed migrating this show to the other mapmaking technique with all parties involved. We decided to do this, but only after staging one more show using the traditional methods. That way the new working relationships would be the only new factor in play. This incremental approach was a prudent and realistic way to handle the transition.

The Changes in 2024

The 2024 map had no major visual changes compared to recent years. But there were small steps toward the Informa way of doing things.

Keys were used for a second year for entrances, attractions, and services. This was a step closer to the Informa style. Graphical icons still identified facilities and some amenities.

Labeling was reduced compared to earlier years. This made the map look cleaner and easier to read.

The colors for exhibitor tent footprints were adjusted to be a little less bold.

The Marriott inset map from the previous year was eliminated.

Beyond these visible changes, the usual work of updating floating dock and land exhibitor placements remained the bulk of the effort. The axonometric vector illustration looking inland, which I built in 2021, continued to serve as the foundation. Without that base, the labor would have easily tripled.

Why a Map Matters

Maps like this are great wayfinding tools. They can be used for signage, printed handouts, phone apps, and websites. But that is not their full potential.

A well made map is also a marketing tool. It gives potential visitors actual information about your event before it happens. It lets them plan, imagine themselves there, and get excited. A map is visual information unique to your event. It connects people with your event in a way that lifestyle photography and flashy graphics cannot.

What I Can Do For You

If you have an event or anything else that needs a map, contact me. I have over a decade of experience doing this kind of work and I would be glad to help you take your event to the next level.