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Conference FAQ’s Conference Chair Dave Melson Answers to a Myriad of Questions August 2007 When and where is the 2007 Affirmation Conference? This year’s conference is in Washington, D.C., October 5-7 (Columbus Day Weekend). We are meeting at the beautiful Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill, literally steps away from the United States Capitol Building and the National Mall. What is special about this year’s conference? This is Affirmation’s 30th birthday celebration, this is only the second time in thirty years that Affirmation has met in a conference east of Denver, and because of being in Washington, this year’s conference features one of the most impressive list of speakers ever. Isn’t it expensive to travel to the east coast? Washington has three major international airports, and competition between both airlines and airports can make for some surprising low cost air fares. Don’t wait until the last minute though, the earlier you book, the lower the fare. Can I find a hotel room? There is a shortage of hotels rooms in Washington right now, and if you wait until the last minute, it may be difficult to find a reasonably priced room. The conference web site has the reservation information for four hotels that we suggest: The Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill, The Hotel George, the Holiday Inn on the Hill, and the Washington Court Hotel. There are also listings on the “Roommate Finder” on the web site of people who are available to share a room (and expenses); this is a great way to not only save money, but to make new friends. If I want to see more of Washington, how hard is it to get around? Will I be safe? The conference hotel is less than two blocks from the Union Station MetroRail station. Metro will take you almost anywhere you want to go in the District of Columbia or the Maryland and Virginia suburbs. See the information page on Metro under the “Washington, D.C.” tab on the conference web site. From Union Station, there is also Marc Train service to Baltimore and to the hills of West Virginia, Virginia Railway Express service into east central Virginia, and Amtrak and Acela service to New York and to the rest of the country. Rental cars are also available at Union Station. Washington is a big city, so use common sense, but the streets stay busy and you should feel safe. If you do encounter problems, the Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit of the DC Metro Police Department is always available to you. How expensive are the tourist attractions in DC? Unlike most places that you will visit on vacation, most of the major attractions are free, including the monuments and memorials and most of the Smithsonian venues, including the National Zoo. There are free concerts every afternoon at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Tours of the White House are free, but you do need to obtain tickets in advance from your congressman or senator. Any gay nightlife in DC? Come on, what do you think all of those Congressional staffers do when the sun goes down, go home? Dupont Circle is the center of LGBT social life in the mid-Atlantic area. In addition to the Affirmation Conference, Washington is also hosting two other LGBT events the first week-end of October: the HRC National Dinner will attract 3,000 guests, and the 18th Annual Miss Adams-Morgan Pageant is expected to attract 2,400 guests to one of the largest drag extravaganzas in the country. How do I register for the 2007 Affirmation Conference? Just go to www.affirmation.org/conference, enter the conference web site, and click on “Registration,” download and complete the registration form, and mail it in with your fee before September 20. Registrations postmarked after September 20th (if we receive them) will be considered “walk ins” and will be subject to a $20 late fee with no discounts available. When does the conference actually start? When do I need to arrive so that I don’t miss out on anything? For those arriving on Thursday, there will be an informal activity, including a concert at the Kennedy Center and a tour of the National Mall after sunset, including the Lincoln Memorial, the Viet Nam and World War II Memorials, and the Washington Monument. Friday morning, there is a self guided tour of the Washington LDS Temple Visitors’ Center. On Friday afternoon, the Council of Chapter Representatives will be meeting at 2:00; all are invited to attend, but at least one person from each chapter or group should plan to be there to represent your city. If you are attending your first Affirmation Conference, you do not want to miss the “First-Timers’ Reception at 4:30. The first full session of conference will be a social event at 6:30 Friday night. This session will feature two “don’t-miss” speakers, Buck Jeppson and Sgt. Brett Parson, a Special Performance by the D.C. Cowboys Dance Company, and a preview performance of the new Steven Fales’ play, “Mormon American Princess.” Saturday morning kicks off at 8:00 AM over breakfast with our keynote speaker, Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson. And who are the other speakers again? Scheduled Speakers and Presenters:
It’s all there (well, almost all) at www.affirmation.org/conference. Any other advice? Two things. First, register for conference and reserve your hotel room now. The sooner you do it, the more money you will save. (Procrastination in this case, has a price.) Second, in order to avoid looking like a tourist, always remember the number one rule of Washington social etiquette when riding on Metro escalators: stand right, walk left. See you in D.C.!
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www.affirmation.org