The last weekend of October sees the UK’s Dive Show of the year at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham.

Even when you aren’t diving you can still have fun in the company of divers, and that’s what the Dive Shows are all about.

Enthusiasts have had a long wait since the London Dive Show took place in February, but this year’s Birmingham NEC event on 25/26 October is now taking shape and advance bookings are being taken.

Booking ahead not only saves significantly on the ticket price but puts you in the frame for the possibility of winning a three-week dive trip of a lifetime for two to Papua New Guinea worth £12,500 – the biggest Show Grand Draw prize.

KIT UP AND GO

So what can you expect to find at the NEC this year? More than enough dive-gear manufacturers, distributors and retailers to ensure that all your kit needs are covered – compare and contrast, try and buy.

The doors are open to dive centres from all over the world as well as tour operators and training agencies, all with specialists on hand to discuss your next dive-trip, whether it’s purely for fun or with a skills-boosting slant.

The Asia-Pacific Showcase, Caribbean Village and British Isles Experience (look out for free dive-computers from Suunto) help to make specific providers easy to find.

WETTER THE BETTER

Talking of skills, the PADI Village will dazzle you with possibilities for travel and training, while BSAC and SSI are among other training agencies set to have a presence at the Show, the former with its Branch Pods.

The Try-Dive Pool, which gives youngsters and others a chance to get a taste of breathing under water, is now run by staff from the Dive School at Stoney Cove, the UK National Diving Centre, so the kids will be well-supervised.

The Technical Pool, run by Midlands Rebreather Diving, provides a chance for divers to get wet with unfamiliar kit, especially the new breed of closed-circuit rebreathers.

And expect more in-water activity with Marcus Greatwood’s NoTanx freediving crew, who will also be conducting free dry breath-hold training sessions and leading you through the 3D Simulator and Total Immersion Freedive Experience.

TALKING STARS

The full special guest presentation line-up has still to be finalised, but already set to speak are divers of the calibre of TV presenters Monty Halls and Paul Rose; Australian great white shark deep cage-diving specialist Andrew Fox; and technical instructor Mark Powell, whose latest provocative presentation title is “Are Rebreathers Safe?”

Newcomers at DIVE 2014 will be crime-fighting divers Claire Gwinnett and Laura Walton-Williams, who run courses in underwater forensics; and South Africa’s Patrick Voorma, who seems to be uncovering historic wrecks by the month.

Other technical wreck-divers include the familiar faces of Jack Ingle, with his workshop on being a better wreck-diver, and Leigh Bishop, who is taking part this year in some extraordinary, deep and at the moment still secret expeditions.

At the less hairy end of the diving spectrum, we hope to have some recent Miss Scuba champions present to share their experiences, too!

IMAGE CENTRAL

Beside the two main presentation areas, the DIVER Stage and the Centre Stage, expect a powerful line-up of audio-visual presentations in the two Ocean Theatres.

Centre Stage is where you’ll be able to see presentations by PhotoZone experts dedicated to helping visitors hone their photographic and videographic talents, including the likes of Saeed Rashid, Paul Duxfield and John Carlin.

One-to-one advice on technique and equipment will also available in the PhotoZone from British Society of Underwater Photography (BSoUP) members and others.

BSoUP’s annual Prints Competition entries will be displayed, with the chance for you to get involved in the judging, and there will also be a special big pelagics photography display by Danny Kessler and Doug Perrine.

RIB-EYE VIEW

Look out too for Humber’s exciting 7m dive RIB, purpose-built for Great British Expedition leader Monty Halls, which is set to be unveiled at the Show.

BOOKING NOW

Book online for DIVE 2014 now and you save £3 per ticket – advance tickets cost just £9.50, instead of £12.50 on the door. Under 16s accompanied by an adult can enter free.

Order six or more advance tickets and save even more, paying only £8.50 per ticket – just visit www.diveshows.co.uk.