31st OCA Extravaganza
November 21 - 23, 2025
OCA Extravaganza 2025
Registration is open!
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 Extravaganza, our 31st:
The Ohio Cichlid Association invites you to join us for the beginning of our fourth decade of the most popular (and economical) regional aquarist gathering in the U.S., by attending the 31st OCA Extravaganza!
As we’ve done for the past 30 years, the Extravaganza will be held at the Best Western Plus, Strongsville, the weekend before Thanksgiving. This year’s dates are November 21-23, but to get the full experience, many people will arrive on Thursday the 20th. The room rate is an incredible $76/night, which includes the breakfast buffet (reservation link below).You must be registered for the event in order to be eligible for this rate.
This year’s speakers are a mix of familiar and new to the Extravaganza, but not new to the hobby. One of the new faces is Dan Sharifi, a dynamic speaker who, as the retired owner/operator of Cichlids of the Americas, has extensive experience as a collector, importer, breeder and retailer of Neo-tropical cichlids. The other, Leandro Sousa, is an accomplished researcher and professor at the Federal University of Para, in Brazil, and is well known in the ichthyological community as well as in the international catfish hobby. We also have two speakers returning for their second visit to the Extravaganza: Heinz Buescher, of Switzerland, whose presentation at the 2010 show is still talked about, is one of the most revered authorities on Lake Tanganyikan cichlids. Also, Lawrence Kent, of Seattle, who fascinated our 2018 attendees by sharing his experiences collecting fish in Africa while enjoying free time from his work with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, will be returning. Finally, Extravaganza favorite Charley Grimes will again be on hand, this time to join Lawrence for a late Friday night free-form conversation that will include Charley’s memories of the hobby and possibly answers to some pre-submitted questions from attendees. Watch here for more information about these major contributors to our hobby.
Other features of the Extravaganza:
- Vendor Room
- Fish and accessory sales from hotel rooms
Well-stocked Hospitality Room
- The nation’s largest Cichlid/Catfish Show (You must be registered to participate and take advantage of the increased cash prizes), but not to just come to see the fish.)
- Saturday afternoon Swap Meet
- Saturday night Pizza Party/Awards Presentation
- Huge cichlid and Catfish Auction on Sunday
You must register to enter fish into the show, to sell from your room, to attend presentations., to enjoy the Hospitality Room, and to be served pizza on Saturday evening. The other activities are open to the public, but please consider registering even if you don’t have to, so we can keep this going!
To get you started, here are 3 links:
Registration, including Swap tables: https://www.ohiocichlid.com/shop/2019-extravaganza-16721
Sponsorship opportunities: https://www.ohiocichlid.com/shop/sponsor-an-extravaganza-show-class-here-14895
Room Reservations: https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/book/hotel-rooms.36178.html?groupId=Q17EJ7X0
Click “Edit Stay” to set the check-in and check-out dates. Link expires after 10/30/25. Please note that, if you have to cancel the reservation, it must be done at least 48 hours before check-in time (3:00 PM on your arrival date).