One of the most entertaining features of the Northwest Genealogy Conference is the “Dress Like Your Ancestor Day.” It was so fun to see attendees dressed as their Salem Witch ancestor (complete with noose), Norwegian (or German or New England or Irish or…other parts of the globe) ancestor. We all love to talk about our ancestors and today it was so fun to see them walking around the conference.

Peggy Lauritzen was our keynote speaker today. Her presentations ranged from migrations into the Shenandoah Valley to the Amish and Mennonites to researching school records. She’s always entertaining and certainly “delivered the goods” today!

My two “extra” classes today were Katherine Willson’s “40+ Sources for Finding Females’ Maiden Names” and “Coming to Your Census: Using State Census Records” with Daniel Earl. Really good stuff! I’m excited to use the tips and resources they shared.

The evening closed with the annual banquet at the Gleneagle Golf Course. CeCe Moore once again entertained the sold-out crowd with stirring stories of reuniting families, healing old wounds and solving criminal cases using genetic genealogy. We are so lucky to have her at the Northwest Genealogy Conference as her travels and professional demands are mounting. Lucky us!

Tomorrow’s the last day of the conference, but a full one. Besides hearing three plenary sessions with keynoter Beth Foulk and two other classes, I need to make sure I visit the vendors, including the Heritage Quest Research Library book sale. So much to pack in!

Sue Walde, Helen Eliason and Joanne Wetmore pose proudly with their recently published book, “Early Stillaguamish Schools.” For sale at the conference.

More than 300 of us were treated to a full day of everything genealogy — from DNA to Catholics and coroners (no, not together — separate classes!). We were all over the map, including learning about historical maps, Swedish, Maryland and Michigan research. Oh, the places we went together!

A crowd waits patiently to talk to CeCe after her presentation.

CeCe Moore, today’s keynoter, took us on quite an adventure into the world of Autosomal DNA during three plenary sessions. She packed so much information into them, she ran over her scheduled time slot. Responding to the crowd’s cheers of “Keep going!,” she graciously complied. Her personal stories and case studies were particularly interesting and heartwarming, bringing home the importance of being on the cusp of this developing science. If you haven’t purchased a ticket to Friday night’s banquet, you’re out of luck unless the Help Desk has a few from those unable to attend. CeCe will be talking about “Making History with Genetic Genealogy.” She’ll share behind-the-scenes experiences and research in her role in using DNA to solve family mysteries.

In addition to today’s three main sessions with CeCe, we were able to choose an additional morning and afternoon class. It was difficult to choose from the array of topics, but I finally settled on Lisa Oberg‘s “Catholic Catechism: Researching Your Catholic Ancestors” and Michael Strauss‘s “Historical Maps: The World at Your Fingertips.” Great choices! Michael’s class was so popular, we had to move to a larger room to accommodate the crowd!

Tomorrow’s going to be great fun! It’s “Dress Like Your Ancestor” day. You can still register for the day. Doors open at 7:30 a.m. We’re waiting for you!

What a great way to start one of the region’s best learning and networking opportunities: a free day at the Northwest Genealogy Conference!

Almost 250 genealogists gathered at the Byrnes Performing Arts Center in Arlington to take part in pre-conference classes on Wednesday, August 15, 2018. Most attended the free beginning genealogy class “Let’s Start Off on the Right Foot!” with Amie Bowser Tennant. Even those of us oldies (but goodies) learned more than a few new tricks, resources and how-to’s.

There were also three specialized workshops available to attendees. Those lucky enough to get into CeCe Moore‘s “Digging Deeper With Autosomal DNA” (filled up online in just SEVEN minutes!), learned tools and steps to understand genetic genealogy. Janet Camarata taught a class in how to use Family Search more efficiently and effectively while Mary Kircher Roddy taught a class on how to use Excel for genealogy.

The evening closed with a “Meet and Greet” taco bar at the Gleneagle Golf Course. What a great way to see old friends and make new ones.

Tomorrow we’ll be treated to three plenary sessions with CeCe Moore. Did you see CeCe’s recent interview with Megyn Kelly on solving crime cases with DNA? Check it out here. So interesting! In addition to CeCe’s presentations, we’ll also have to choose just two classes from the ten offered — everything from Catholic ancestors and coroner’s records to historical maps and Swedish research. Combing through the 150+ page syllabus now. Will be hard to choose!

If you aren’t one of the 300+ people who have already registered for the conference, don’t despair! You can register at the door for one day, two days or all three! You can’t register online anymore, but show up at the door and the uber-efficient volunteers from conference host Stillaguamish Valley Genealogical Society will get you set up. Just show up early! Doors open at the Byrnes Performing Arts Center at 7:30 a.m.

More tomorrow…

It’s not too late to register for one of the premier conferences in the region! The Northwest Genealogy Conference opens on Wednesday, Aug. 15.

Here’s some of what’s in store:

Wednesday, August 15:

• FREE Beginning Genealogy Class starts at 1:00 p.m. Amie Bowser Tennant will help beginners (and not-so-beginners) learn how to get started (or restarted). If you plan to attend, but forgot haven’t registered, please register here. The class is free, but organizers need a count to insure there are enough materials.
• Meet & Greet Taco Bar from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.  at the Gleneagle Golf Club. Available for full conference attendees. Registration is $5. No host bar available. If you plan to attend but forgot to register, please go to www.nwgc.org to register.

Thursday, August 16:

• Registration opens bright and early at 7:30 a.m. at the Byrnes Performing Arts Center, 18821 Crown Ridge Blvd., Arlington. The conference organizers have been hard at work for months and months to ensure you have a great time.
• A full day of classes, including three keynote sessions with CeCe Moore. WSGS will also be holding a society management class in Room 113 during the lunch period. Come listen to WSGS Vice President Donna Potter Phillips talk about “How to Lasso a Good Speaker” for your society meetings.
• Vendors and Information Tables. Make sure you visit the vendors and informational tables in the common area and classrooms.
• A Night on the Town in downtown Arlington. Fifteen local businesses will stay open until 8:00 p.m. to allow conference attendees to browse and shop. Many shops will have appetizers and door prizes.

Friday, August 17:

• A full day of classes, including three keynote sessions with Peggy Lauritzen. Also, Ginny Majewski, WSGS President, will conduct a class called “So, Now You’ve Been Elected” for society society officers and members. The class will be in Room 113 during the lunch period.
• Dress as Your Ancestor Day. Rent/buy/make a costume to honor an ancestor or your heritage. Every year more attendees are taking part in this fun activity. There are consignment shops downtown Arlington that have costumes also.
• Conference Banquet with CeCe Moore. Listen to CeCe talk about making history with genetic genealogy. The banquet requires pre-registration and, at last report, was almost sold out. No tickets will be sold at the door. If there’s still room, you can register here.

Saturday, August 18:

• Our last full day of classes, learning, shopping and networking. Beth Foulk will be the keynote speaker for two sessions.
• Heirloom Jewelry. Is it trash or is it treasure? Bring some of your heirloom jewelry items with you and find out. We will offer FREE expert analysis on Saturday during lunch. Sign-up at the Info Desk anytime during the conference to reserve your time…limit of 3-4 pieces please.

Don’t miss this conference! You can register for all three days, just one or even at the door. Click here for more information.

Are you looking for a genealogical learning experience on par with the big national conferences, but with a more intimate setting and personal feel? If so, the Northwest Genealogy Conference is the conference for you! The conference is August 15 – 19, 2018, at the Byrnes Performing Art Center in Arlington, Washington — and still has spots open. To register, click here.

Like the national conferences, there are nationally known speakers on a wide range of topics. This year’s keynote speakers, Ce Ce Moore, Beth Foulk and Peggy Lauritzen, are well known in genealogical circles. In fact, you’ve likely heard about Ce Ce in the news lately. She’s garnered national attention for the DNA assistance she provided to law enforcement which led to arrests in several murder cold cases.

For the beginning genealogist (and those needing a “refresher”), there will be a free class on Wednesday, the 15th, and for the more serious, there are additional in-depth workshops offered that day.

Unlike the big conferences, NWGC offers a much more intimate and personal setting with much less walking. Along with the great education that you will receive, there are also fun activities such as “Dress as Your Ancestor Day,” the cousin match board, door prizes and more.

See www.nwgc.org for more information and to register. See you there!