Looking ahead to 2011 conventions/conferences

(picture from the SC Home Educators' Association convention June 2010 - Jess made my sign for me and I need to get a banner is what I need to do but she did a good job with what she had)

A few weeks ago (probably right after the 4th of this month), I decided I would start looking for homeschool conventions and conferences for 2011. I found a couple listed and am excited to say that after making contact with the people in charge of the Great Homeschool Convention group (their online contact form had a glitch but I found them on facebook and left a message getting a reply of who to contact directly) my series has been approved to be an exhibitor/vendor. The cost is a little steep but no more so than most book festivals that I would consider attending. And the best part of this convention is that it is local, literally just 45 minutes from my house. I don't have to stay at a hotel for that time and can work Thursday until lunch time or mid afternoon before heading over there to set up (I have it easy since I don't have a lot to load). I also have requested to do my writing workshop for the kids (no cost to me except the prizes I keep on hand for the game part of the workshop) and have a good chance of being able to do the workshop. My biggest problem is that this occurs during school hours and I've got to figure out who I trust enough to pay to help me out Friday, especially if that is the day I do my workshop. Wonder when AU's spring break is; guess I'll have to check with my wonderful helper, Jess in the next few weeks to know if maybe she can help me.

When I spoke with Kim today, she felt they were looking at possibly 2500 homeschool families attending the event which is great. She also said that from other conventions they do, they have had small companies/individuals who have been listed as exhibitors receive orders prior to the convention (one guy apparently had 40 orders from the advertising the Great Homeschool Convention coordinator does). Now to be so lucky as that - I'd love to go to the convention with many preorders and all I'd have to do is deliver the goods during that time.

Stay tuned for more updates on this convention as they develop. Keep checking the convention's website for more info. If you are local or at least in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, possibly Florida and homeschool, you may be interested in attending as an attendee. Hope to see some fans/readers of my series there.




(picture of books on table and map from SC Home Educators' Association convention June 2010)

The other one I've found is in Pennsylvania and it is done through the Antiochian Orthodox Church (my father is in an Antiochian parish and the Orthodox Church local to me is also in the Antiochian diocese, so I feel I have good foot in the door and should be able to get some references from Father David and my Father). It's called the St. Emmelia Orthodox Homeschool Conference and the most information I've found so far can be found here. This one is apparently held at the Antiochian Village which looks to be a wonderful retreat center, located about an hour and a half southeast of Pittsburgh. This one falls the last weekend of March/first part of April, which is right before our spring break starts here (actually that Friday at end of school day is the beginning of the spring break) and I told Hailie about the event and she said she wanted to go with me because she wants to go to Pennsylvania - lol. I told her she would end up missing some school since I'd have to leave early Wednesday, as it is a long drive up there and since the conference is Thursday, Friday and Saturday with probably something church related on Sunday. It's been a while since I've been to Pennsylvania so this would be a nice trip for me - kind of getting back to where I sort of grew up. So far, I've tried to make contact using their online forms but haven't received a reply.

I know it seems far away but I need to start planning for events so I have all my ducks in a row and can send in the vendor applications on a timely basis. The other events I hope to do in 2011 will be the Chattanooga one in July, as I didn't get my application in early enough for that one this year, the Sumter, SC, event that I got to do this year (they may be changing location and time when it is held, so as soon as I know when and where, I'll post), the Love to Learn conference in Charlotte (that one is in August, the second Saturday every year), and of course the Savannah Children's Book Festival with school visits the Friday of the event. I'd like to try to make it to Memphis and a couple of other ones, but those aren't on the radar yet so I have to just bide my time.

Keep checking my website for updates on the calendar of events pages as new events come to my attention that I see I can do. See you in the postings or at an event near you - Mrs. E :)