There will be lots of parties this weekend in Portland, but if you have any musical talent the last one will be hard to top. On Saturday evening, Pre1 Software will host a jam session at the Tugboat Brewing Company, a funky little club where they'll supply the instruments so you can take turns onstage rocking out with your fellow AANies. Or you can just stop by for some microbrews and join the shindig.

Thursday night's opening reception at the Portland Art Museum: Mingle with other AAN-types while sipping Widmers, wine or 360 Vodka and munching on light hors d'oeuvres in the museum's outdoor sculpture garden. The big Rembrandt show is just a few steps away.

Friday's rooftop reception at Wieden + Kennedy: One of the world's top ad agencies will entertain conventioneers with Motown music and a transcendant view of the Pearl District, and AAN and Willamette Week will provide the drinks and light hors d'oeuvres.

Saturday’s "Dinner in the Sky" at Oregon Health & Science University's Kohler Pavillion: Take a streetcar to the Portland Aerial Tram, where a private car awaits convention delegates. During the three-minute ride that climbs 500 feet, you'll have birds' eye views of downtown Portland, the Willamette River and Mt. Hood. Up on top, you'll find a salmon dinner, with drinks and dessert.

Even the best-laid plans occasionally need tweaking, which is why AAN is using Twitter to send updates to convention attendees. (Wait, what's Twitter? You can read more about it at web.aan.org/twitter). We'll use it to send short text messages to mobile devices to remind folks about events or last-minute changes.
Just text "Follow Altweeklies" to 40404, and follow the instructions, or check our step-by-step pictorial on our community blog at Portland2007.AAN.org/twitter_help. If you already have a Twitter account, just add your mobile information to your account to receive updates. If you’d prefer to see the updates online only, you can check out our page, Twitter.com/AltWeeklies.

AAN knows a few conference attendees get a little anxious when separated from their papers. Are your writers meeting deadline? Did the cover image turn out the way you wanted? Are your ad reps making their numbers this week? Fear not, nervous nelly: DesertNet has channeled the power of the internet so you can check in with your staff whenever the urge hits. The Tucson-based web developers are sponsoring free wifi in the Hilton meeting rooms, and for those who like a little privacy with their email, the Hilton provides complementary hi-speed lines in each guest room.

Toyota's hybrid Prius is already a common sight in commuter heavy places like D.C. and L.A., but have you gotten to drive one yet? Toyota and a number of its hybrid, alternative fuel and future technology experts will be available to answer questions during the convention. Green and environmental reporters take note: The company's interactive exhibit will feature a full array of current model Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive vehicles -- the­ Prius, Camry and Highlander -- that can be taken for a test ride or drive. To sign up for the hybrid ride and drive experience, talk to the reps staffing the Toyota booth in the trade show.

It feels like the late 90's again here at AAN! As of this afternoon, there are approximately 580 members, non-members and exhibitors registered for this year's convention in Portland, which is now only one week away. We haven't seen numbers like this since the Phoenix convention in 2000. For a list of member and non-member registrants as of May 30, download this PDF.

And we won't make you blog to qualify! If you were registered for the convention as of last week, be on the lookout for a Willamette Week envelope. For inside that envelope is a TriMet ticket good for a Max train ride from PDX to downtown Portland. The train leaves the airport every 15 minutes; after a 29-minute ride, it'll drop you at Pioneer Square, which is two blocks south of the Hilton.

Portland's Alma Chocolate will provide the sweet, sweet reward for 2007 AAN attendees who contribute to the convention blog at Portland2007.AAN.org. Post thoughts on a session, a guest speaker, nightlife or your Portland adventures, and take home a chocolate concoction by Alma. Or just email your convention pictures to Photos *at* AAN *dot* org - be sure to include your name in the body of your email as a photo credit. Blog participants who've earned their cocoa will be listed in the "Chocolate Winners!" column of the blog. Alma Chocolate can also be found on Saturday's Farmers Market tour [see convention events].

The election will be held during the association's annual meeting on Saturday, June 16. Current members of the board have indicated their intention to run for nine of the open seats. Other AAN members who are interested in running for the board should contact executive director Richard Karpel at 202/289-8484 or rkarpel at aan.org.

As veteran attendees know, the trade show exhibit hall at the AAN Convention is the best place in the world to grab an armful of alt-weeklies. If you want your papers included in this magnificent spread of profane tabloids, you'll need to ship them to arrive by Wednesday, June 13, to the following address: AAN Convention Newspaper Display, Pacific Exposition Decorating Company, 2737 NW Nela Street, Portland, OR 97210. (If your shipper needs a phone number, it's 503-417-8000.) You can send as many papers as you like, but 25 to 50 are generally sufficient. And, yes, remaining papers will be recycled.