Members and non-members have until the end of the day tomorrow, Friday, June 25 to receive the early registration discount for AAN’s 33rd Annual Convention in Toronto. The discounted rate for members and associate members is $325 per person, and the discounted rate for non-members is $425 per person. Both rates will increase by $50 per person after Friday night.
In addition, when three representatives from the same member paper sign up, that paper will get a fourth registration free of charge. This offer will remain valid after the early registration deadline.
Click here to register online.
There have been a few programming additions since the schedule was first posted, and more details on the roundtable discussions are now available, so if you haven’t visited the programming page within the past week, please stop on by.
Three sessions of note will feature content designed for all attendees and everyone is highly encouraged to attend. Even better, there will not be any competing sessions scheduled during the time slots for these sessions. Friday’s sessions will open with Harlan Mandel’s inspirational lessons on how independent news publishers can “seize opportunity in a time of chaos and change.” The day’s sessions will close with Patricia Martin’s discussion of how alt-weeklies are uniquely positioned to benefit from the rise of the internet generation. On Saturday morning, we’ll take a look at the iPad and the new business opportunities that have been opened up with Apple’s newest device.
HOTEL ROOMS
As of today, June 24, the Hilton Toronto still has a very limited number of rooms available at AAN’s discounted rate of $139.00 (CAD) per night. Click here to reserve a room at AAN’s group rate and contact the AAN office if you encounter any difficulty obtaining the group rate through their site.
U.S / CANADIAN ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
All U.S. citizens will need a passport to re-enter the United States if traveling by air. If you are returning to the U.S. by land, you only need a passport card.
Wondering what the difference is between a passport and a passport card? Here’s a handy guide. Basically, the passport card is less expensive and the application process is slightly easier. So if you’re applying for your passport at the last minute, you might want to consider traveling by land. (more on that in a bit)
This is important: Before you enter Canada please be aware that “anyone with a criminal record (including a drunk driving conviction) may be excluded from Canada. A waiver of exclusion may be issued but several weeks are required and a processing fee must be paid.” Contact a Canadian Embassy or Consulate in the U.S. or use this link for more information.
GETTING THERE
Air Canada is AAN’s official airline for the 2010 convention and is offering discounts on selected fares to and from Toronto. Enter promo code CXJWMYY1 on the booking page to get the discounted fare.
Cost-conscious travelers may want to consider flying into Buffalo, NY and hopping on either Megabus (2.5 hrs / as low as $17 one way) or Coach Canada (3.5 hrs / $26 one way) which both go straight from Buffalo Airport to downtown Toronto. Taking the bus will also allow you to re-enter the U.S. with a passport card as opposed to a passport book.
Or you can fly into Buffalo and organize a festive carpool with your fellow AAN conventioneers! (We suggest establishing a designated driver beforehand.) If you go this route, keep in mind that parking at the Toronto Hilton is $30 CAD per night.
If you fly directly into Toronto, you will likely be arriving at Pearson International Airport which is a 45 minute cab ride (around $55 USD) into town. A less expensive option is the Airport Express Shuttle which runs every 40 minutes and drops you off right across from the hotel.
The cheapest, if a bit more complicated option, is to take public transportation. The TTC city bus will take you to Kipling subway station, at which point you can transfer to the subway system for your ride to the Osgoode station downtown. Check out the Frommer’s and Rough Guides sites for some additional public transportation options.
ROAMING CHARGES
Don’t become one of the horror stories. Unless paying lots of additional money is your thing, check with your carrier to avoid surprise charges for international service, roaming, data charges and whatever else the companies can potentially add to your bill. iPhone acolytes may want to use this page as a starting point, but by all means, please contact your carrier and ask them detailed questions about voice AND data charges.
NEWSPAPER DISPLAY
If you want to show your hard work to fellow AAN members, ship a few copies of your paper to the convention by using this shipping label here.
