Since its debut in 1999, the Sand Sports Super Show has grown into one of the off-road industry’s most important consumer events. Traditionally held at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California, the show arrives each fall near the beginning of the Southwest dune season. Vehicle manufacturers, aftermarket companies, fabricators and dealers fill the indoor halls and outdoor exhibit areas with new side-by-sides, complete custom builds, suspension systems, performance parts, tires, wheels, communications equipment and other products developed for sand and desert recreation.
UTVGuide.net has covered the show since 2007, providing a unique record of the recreational UTV industry’s evolution. Our earliest reports captured the Yamaha Rhino aftermarket at its peak and the immediate response to the original Polaris RZR. Later shows documented the arrival of the Kawasaki Teryx, Can-Am Maverick, RZR XP 900, RZR XP 1000, factory turbocharged UTVs and increasingly sophisticated vehicle-specific accessories. Viewed together, these annual recaps show how side-by-sides progressed from modified utility vehicles into the high-horsepower sport, recreation and adventure machines that now dominate much of the show.
Sand Sports Super Show Coverage by Year
2025: Custom UTV Builds and New Products
The 2025 Sand Sports Super Show brought hundreds of exhibitors to the OC Fair & Event Center with custom UTVs, suspension systems, tires, wheels, communications equipment and new products for the coming dune season.
2024: The Show Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary
The 2024 Sand Sports Super Show celebrated the event’s 25th anniversary with a redesigned logo and DRT Motorsports as presenting sponsor. Our recap combines expanded information with UTVGuide.net’s original Instagram coverage from the weekend.
2023: New UTVs, Builds and Accessories
The 2023 Sand Sports Super Show returned to Costa Mesa September 15–17 with hundreds of exhibitors and more than 31,500 attendees. UTVGuide.net documented custom UTVs, new products, suspension components, wheels, tires and accessories through original coverage from the show.
2022: Cool Products from the Show
Our 2022 Sand Sports Super Show coverage focused on eight products that stood out among the accessories, communications equipment, tools and vehicle upgrades displayed in Costa Mesa.
2019–2021: Social Media Coverage
UTVGuide.net covered the 2019, 2020 and 2021 shows through our Instagram and Facebook pages, sharing noteworthy UTVs, custom builds, products and exhibitor displays from each event.
2018: New UTVs and Aftermarket Products
The 2018 Sand Sports Super Show reflected the rapid development of high-performance sport UTVs. Highlights included the Polaris RZR Turbo S, Yamaha YXZ1000R, Can-Am Maverick Sport X rc and more than 20 new aftermarket products.
2017: Larger Tires and Diverse Custom Builds
The 2017 Sand Sports Super Show delivered a diverse collection of custom UTVs as the Can-Am Maverick X3 gained momentum alongside the Polaris RZR and Yamaha YXZ1000R. Our top Instagram posts from the 2017 show provide another look at the vehicles, products and displays that attracted our attention throughout the weekend.
The event also signaled the industry’s movement toward larger tire sizes. Our coverage of the new UTV tires and wheels introduced at the 2017 show includes several new 32-inch options developed as sport UTVs became more powerful and capable.
2016: Turbo UTVs, Suspension and Custom Builds
The 2016 Sand Sports Super Show featured custom builds and new products from companies across the UTV aftermarket. The event illustrated how quickly turbocharged sport UTVs were influencing suspension, safety equipment, lighting and vehicle fabrication.
2015: The RZR XP Turbo and Yamaha YXZ1000R Arrive
The 2015 Sand Sports Super Show captured another major turning point. Polaris displayed the new RZR XP Turbo while Yamaha attracted considerable attention with the manual-transmission YXZ1000R. UTVGuide.net also displayed its custom Polaris RZR XP 1000 build at the show.
2014: Custom UTVs Take Over the Show
By the 2014 Sand Sports Super Show, UTVs occupied a major portion of the event. Our coverage includes custom RZRs, Maverick builds, suspension products, audio equipment and UTVGuide.net project vehicles displayed in exhibitor booths.
2013: The RZR XP 1000 Era Begins
The newly introduced Polaris RZR XP 1000 defined the 2013 Sand Sports Super Show. Aftermarket companies arrived with turbo systems, big-bore packages, suspension, cages, doors and exhaust products for the new platform. Can-Am displayed the Maverick MAX, while turbocharged Arctic Cat Wildcat builds demonstrated the industry’s increasing appetite for horsepower.
2012: UTVs Become a Dominant Part of the Show
The 2012 Sand Sports Super Show featured an expanding range of sport UTVs, custom vehicles and aftermarket components. By this point, side-by-sides were no longer a secondary part of an event historically centered on sand rails and ATVs.
2011: The RZR XP 900 Changes Performance Expectations
The 2011 Sand Sports Super Show documented how the Polaris RZR XP 900 gave builders a more powerful factory platform and accelerated development of suspension, engine and chassis products. The Kawasaki Teryx, Can-Am Commander and Yamaha Rhino also remained important aftermarket platforms.
2010: Four-Seat UTVs Gain Momentum
The Polaris RZR 4 was one of the major UTV attractions at the 2010 Sand Sports Super Show. Exhibitors continued developing long-travel suspension, forced induction, lighting, audio and accessories for the RZR, Rhino and Teryx.
2009: The UTV Aftermarket Expands
The 2009 Sand Sports Super Show featured new RZR and Teryx products ranging from big-bore engine packages and oil coolers to doors, exhaust systems, LED lighting and position-sensitive shocks. These products demonstrated the growing specialization of the UTV aftermarket.
2008: New Platforms Challenge the Yamaha Rhino
The 2008 Sand Sports Super Show captured the arrival of several important machines. The Polaris RZR S brought factory long-travel performance to the market, while the Kawasaki Teryx and Arctic Cat Prowler 1000 XTZ created new opportunities for builders and parts manufacturers.
2007: The Recreational UTV Aftermarket Explodes
UTVGuide.net’s 2007 Sand Sports Super Show coverage documents the Yamaha Rhino’s influence and the remarkably fast aftermarket response to the original Polaris RZR. At least 14 companies displayed or announced long-travel RZR suspension systems during the vehicle’s first year.
History of the Sand Sports Super Show
The Sand Sports Super Show began as an event centered on sand rails, dune buggies, ATVs, performance engines and equipment used by sand-sports enthusiasts. It became a traditional start to the Southwest desert season, bringing manufacturers, builders and customers together each September.
The rise of the Yamaha Rhino changed the character of the show. Owners quickly began converting the utility-oriented side-by-side into a recreational vehicle with long-travel suspension, cages, rear seating, performance modifications and paddle tires. Small fabrication businesses grew into established UTV aftermarket companies, and the show became one of their most important opportunities to introduce products directly to enthusiasts.
The original Polaris RZR accelerated that transformation in 2007. Within a few years, recreational and sport UTVs occupied a substantial portion of the exhibit space. Factory performance machines eventually replaced many of the heavily modified utility vehicles that had created the early market.
In 2016, Bonnier acquired the event from founder Donald Murphy. The acquisition placed the show within Bonnier’s portfolio of enthusiast events while retaining its focus on sand sports and off-road recreation. Read more about the history of Bonnier’s Sand Sports Super Show acquisition.
The show faced its greatest interruption in 2020 when it moved to Scottsdale, Arizona. It opened Friday evening but was closed before the remainder of the weekend because of COVID restrictions. The event subsequently returned to its familiar Costa Mesa venue.
In 2024, the show celebrated its 25th anniversary, introduced a redesigned logo and named DRT Motorsports its presenting sponsor.
What the Show Reveals About UTV History
Viewed together, these annual recaps document several major stages in the development of the side-by-side market.
From Utility Vehicle to Recreational Platform
The Yamaha Rhino showed that owners wanted much more than a compact utility vehicle. Builders added suspension travel, passenger seating, performance modifications and aggressive bodywork, helping establish the template for the recreational UTV aftermarket.
The Arrival of Factory Sport UTVs
The original Polaris RZR and wider RZR S shifted performance development from modified utility vehicles to purpose-built sport machines. The RZR XP 900 and RZR XP 1000 continued that progression with more power, suspension travel and ground clearance.
Turbocharging Becomes Mainstream
Early show vehicles relied on aftermarket turbo systems and extensive engine modifications. Factory turbocharged models eventually delivered levels of power that once required a specialized custom build, changing the products displayed throughout the show.
Larger Tires and More Capable Suspension
Long-travel suspension was one of the defining products of the early UTV aftermarket. As factory suspension improved, the emphasis expanded to shock tuning, semi-active control, stronger replacement components and increasingly large tires for dunes, desert terrain and rock crawling.
Vehicle-Specific Accessories
Early UTV accessories often required substantial fabrication. Modern show displays are filled with model-specific audio systems, communications equipment, doors, roofs, storage, lighting and bolt-on protection engineered for individual platforms.
More UTV Events and Show Coverage
Explore additional trade shows, enthusiast events and industry gatherings in the UTVGuide.net Event & Show Information archive.
Sand Sports Super Show FAQ
What is the Sand Sports Super Show?
The Sand Sports Super Show is a consumer and industry event featuring UTVs, sand rails, ATVs, off-road vehicles, performance products, tires, wheels, suspension, communications equipment, apparel and other products for sand and desert recreation.
Where is the Sand Sports Super Show held?
The show is traditionally held at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California. The 2020 show moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, during the COVID-19 pandemic. That event opened Friday evening but was closed before the remainder of the weekend due to COVID restrictions. The show subsequently returned to Costa Mesa.
When does the Sand Sports Super Show take place?
The main show is normally held in September near the beginning of the Southwest desert and dune season. Exact dates vary by year.
Can attendees buy UTV products at the show?
Many exhibitors sell products or offer show specials, while others display new equipment and connect attendees with dealers. Availability and pricing depend on the individual exhibitor.
Are complete UTVs displayed at the show?
Yes. Vehicle manufacturers, dealers, fabricators and aftermarket companies display stock UTVs, custom dune builds, race vehicles, overland machines and project vehicles equipped with newly introduced products.
How far back does UTVGuide.net’s show coverage go?
UTVGuide.net’s surviving annual Sand Sports Super Show coverage begins in 2007. Together, the recaps document the evolution of recreational and sport UTVs from the Yamaha Rhino era through today’s high-horsepower machines.
When was the first Sand Sports Super Show?
The first Sand Sports Super Show was held in 1999. Founded by Donald Murphy, the event began as a gathering for sand-rail, dune-buggy, ATV and off-road enthusiasts before the emerging UTV industry became one of its largest components.
