This is Your Chance to Start Discovering YOUR Family History!
If you’ve already registered – read on for the latest news and please consider sharing this email with friends who may be interested – thanks!
- Are you interested in finding out about your family history?
- Are you already on the family history journey but having trouble making progress?
- Are you a well-seasoned family historian but always wanting to learn more?
If any of the foregoing applies, then…
DON’T MISS OUT ON THE “HARVEST YOUR FAMILY TREE” GENEALOGY CONFERENCE!
September 23-25, 2016
People are flocking from all points of Western Canada and the Northwest US to attend this inspiring event, right here in Kelowna! With 10 internationally acclaimed speakers from England, the US and Canada; a large Marketplace of Vendors & Exhibitors; and 28 workshops to choose from, our “Harvest Your Family Tree” Genealogy Conference is the place to be and the largest event of its kind in Western Canada!
The fun begins at noon on Friday, Sept. 23rd at our downtown Kelowna Public Library where you’ll find our own KDGS Family & Local History Resource Centre, the Okanagan Regional Library’s main collection of genealogy materials, including a huge collection of microforms and the University of British Columbia Library’s Innovation Centre. There will be free tours, talks & hands-on opportunities at all three facilities plus several workshops ($18 each – pre-registration required) to choose from. A perfect time to start digging into your roots!
Friday Evening is our “Meet the Speaker’s” Reception where a Q&A panel will discover what makes our speakers tick! Enjoy the refreshments and a myriad of interesting family history displays. If you have a self-standing display or family history project you’d like to show off, please bring it along; tables are provided. The Reception is at the lovely Centre for Learning Atrium located at Kelowna’s Okanagan College Campus ($15 – pre-registration only).
Saturday’s activities kick off at Okanagan College’s Centre for Learning, sharp at 8am. What a fantastic day we have planned for you! Our Marketplace is even bigger than our 2014 Conference by a third! Be sure to cheque the exhibits on the second floor, too! My Heritage will be there and we are so very grateful for their sponsorship: you will covet your Conference bag and spiffy name-badge, all courtesy of My Heritage. Of course, we’ll have all your favourite vendors, including The Bookshop from Penticton, BC Genealogical Society Boutique, KDGS Used Bookstall and Shop the Hound plus great exhibits from FamilySearch, Vancouver Public Library’s Genealogy Department, Okanagan Regional Library, Kelowna Museums, Family Roots Tracer, Lake Country Museum & Archives (hosting a Heritage Photo Booth – bring home a souvenir vintage pic of you at the Conference), KDGS will have their newly minted Cemetery Books, Raffle Tickets (for three fab prizes), Archival supplies, bottled water and more. Speakers, Dave Obee, Lisa Louise Cooke and Xenia Stanford will have booths, too. New this year will be the Guild of One-Name Studies, Maple Ridge Heritage Group and Family Tree Design (as well as My Heritage, of course)! Bring your cheque-book and some cash!
We have well over 100 wonderful door prizes! Thank you to all the businesses, organizations and individuals who supplied these – a list will be in your Conference Syllabus. Your chance of going home with a great prize is over 50%. By just filling in your Evaluation Questionnaire at the end of the day, you could win a crisp, new $100 bill! We listen to your feedback: this year, free coffee and tea will be available as soon as our doors open at 8am and during the lunch hour, as well as during our two breaks.
Sunday will be a day to relax, stretch your legs and learn a little about the history of Kelowna’s Downtown Cultural District with a tour led by our famous Bob Hayes! This free event includes two special visits: 1. Okanagan Military Museum to learn about their great resources for military and family history; 2. Kelowna Art Gallery to enjoy a special art exhibit about Mexican Migrant Workers, their lives and culture. For those who wish to linger, we have an option to join us for lunch at our former CPR Station, now The Train Station Pub.
REGISTER NOW: WWW.KDGS.CA
MORE INFORMATION: Conference@KDGS.ca or phone Marie, 250-763-7159
Claire Smith-Burns
Kelowna & District Genealogical Society
Chairperson, “Harvest Your Family Tree” Conference 2016, Conference@KDGS.ca
Director, KDGS Family & Local History Resource Centre, Library@KDGS.ca