11th Annual Cypress Gardens Antique and Classic Boat Rendezvous
By: Pete DeVito
Let’s head back to one of the most favorite Sunnyland show locations. It is November 1994 and we are in Winter Haven for the 11th Annual Cypress Gardens Antique and Classic Boat Rendezvous. I use to go to this show before I actually owned my first wooden boat. The show was located along the seawall of what now is considered the old original gardens. It just so happens I spent my entire life in Winter Haven and Cypress Gardens will always be a beautiful memory growing up here. Now lets get back to the show… The Sheerline winter issue featured a beautiful black and white photo on the front cover showing a couple of boats lined up along the bank just down from the Florida Pool where Ester Williams made the movie “Easy to Love” in 1953. Wow! wouldn’t it had been great if Ester would have shown up for the show. Enough about Ester back to the show… The event started on Friday afternoon with a “Dry Rot” party with over 150 people attending. On Saturday all the boats assembled for a fly by during the water ski show and then toured the chain of lakes. On Saturday evening over 250 people packed the main ballroom at The Inn for dinner and dancing. Our president that year was Lynne Shinn.



