Planning Ahead to Attend a Genealogy Conference

Have you made plans yet to register for our annual Family History Conference on Saturday, 6 May? Whether it’s your first time or you are an old pro at attending conferences and workshops, there are some tried and true steps you can take to make the most of your experience. So, if you are thinking about (or have already registered for) the StLGS conference, the National Genealogical Society Conference at the end of May, or any other upcoming genealogy day-long or multi-day event, here are some helpful reminders.

Register Early!

Most conferences have early registration deadlines. These are set in place so the host societies can make adequate plans, and most conferences offer a reduced fee as an incentive to sign up early. Not only will you save money by taking advantage of early registration, but you will also help ensure a smooth, well-run conference.

Another benefit of early registration is early access to conference communications, news, and the syllabus. Pre-order your meals, read through the class offerings and select your favorites, and know where to go when you arrive.

If you are coming to our Family History Conference on May 6th, early registration ends on 22 April, and you will save $10 off the published price if you register by that date. Online registration will remain open until the evening of May 5th (8:00 p.m., Central). After that, you can still register for the Zoom presentations, but you may have to watch the recordings and not the livestreamed lectures. If you wait until the day of the conference, all walk-ins will pay the highest rate and will not be able to order the optional lunch.

Digital Recordings

Many hybrid conferences now keep digital recordings of the lectures online for a specific length of time post-conference. Be careful to note what that length of time is, as it varies from conference to conference depending on contractual agreements with the speaker.

The lectures from this year's StLGS conference, “Explore Unique Pathways to Smash Brick Walls!” will be recorded and will remain online for just 14 days. So, if you want to watch a lecture again, see one you missed, or watch the entire conference for the first time, you will want to plan accordingly. 

Attending a conference in-person is always an exciting experience. There is positive energy in the meeting rooms, chances to visit with old friends and make new ones, and the excitement of learning new concepts about a variety of topics. 

You can also enhance your experience by:

• Coming prepared with your preferred note-taking materials (including batteries or chargers, if you need them)
• Allowing extra time to find parking, getting seated, and grabbing a coffee or snack before the workshops begin
• Being flexible, as schedules can change, and technology can be unpredictable
• Mingling and chatting with others
• Visiting the vendors to see what is new or to find that book you want (so be sure to have cash, checks, and/or credit cards with you)
• Dressing in layers in case the rooms are chilly or warm

Some additional specifics for our May 6th conference:

• All attendees will receive an email ahead of time with a link to the Zoom livestream lectures and to a page on our website that contains a digital version of the syllabus; in-person attendees will receive paper copies as well. (Remember not to delete that email, since you will need it to log on for the conference, to retrieve the digital syllabus, and to watch any of the recordings before they expire!)
• All attendees will be registered for an attendance prize–– a free year’s membership to StLGS (or a year’s extension to a current membership).
• The eight lectures will be recorded and available to all attendees as soon as possible. The links will expire 14 days after they are posted on our website.

We look forward to seeing you on May 6th and hope you have a great experience that day!

Not registered yet? You can get all the information on our Family History Conference page on our website!