NATIONAL CONVENTION DAY TICKETS

[David_K]

SATURDAY DAY TICKETS without MEALS

We are now able to take bookings for the Saturday but without lunch and dinner (refreshments are still included). The price is £30 and includes all lectures (all main speakers will be speaking during the day), access to the sales and any special displays, intermediate refreshments and attendance at the charity auction in the evening. To book send your cheque to me at 71 Lakes Lane, Newport Pagnell MK16 8HT (the booking form on the website does not cover this option).

SATURDAY DAY TICKETS with MEALS

These are now available for the complete Saturday experience. The price is £60 and includes all lectures (all main speakers will be speaking during the day), access to the sales and any special displays, lunch, dinner and intermediate refreshments and attendance at the charity auction in the evening. To book send your cheque to me at 71 Lakes Lane, Newport Pagnell MK16 8HT or go to the convention booking form on the website.

SALES TABLES
Although a few places remain available for the full package (both residential and non-residential) all sales tables have now been booked by delegates. If you have already booked a package or are still thinking about it please do not ask for a table as we are unable to provide any more.

[Phil_SK]

Could someone who's been to past conventions help me out? I'm thinking of attending this year's convention as an un-fed day visitor but don't really know what I'd be signing up for. The list of speakers and their talks (CactusWorld, March 2014, p.40) doesn't say who is talking when. David's

We are now able to take bookings for the Saturday [...] includes all lectures (all main speakers will be speaking during the day)

is a bit ambiguous - are all the talks on the Saturday or do all speakers give at least one talk on Saturday but possibly their second talk on the Friday or Sunday? In a different thread, David mentioned that Saturday and Sunday tickets would be made available, although there has been no further mention of Sunday in subsequent posts/adverts.
What is the format of the convention? What happens on the Friday and Sunday? What would I miss if I went just on the Saturday? Is there likely to be a list of who/when published at some point?

[Carl]

All good questions Phil as a more recent member I've not attended the convention before but I'd consider it

[David_K]

The convention starts on Friday afternoon and some speakers will be on that afternoon/evening and it concludes on Sunday afternoon with some speakers giving talks that day. In total all main speakers will give two talks and as I said all of the speakers will be giving one of their talks on the Saturday when it is available to pre-booked day visitors. Due to the shorter format of Sunday (it finishes approx. 4pm) there are no day tickets available for that day, only Saturday.
The running order for Saturday was only confirmed yesterday and I have extracted and listed the details below.

Plant Sales and Special Exhibits 9.00 - 11.00
Registration for day visitors 9.00 - 9.30
Short Talk 1 Terry Smale: Some Mesemb habitats 9.30 - 10.00
Short Talk 2 Olwen Grace: Ethnobotany and uses of Aloes 10.10 - 10.40
Morning Coffee 10.40 - 11.00
Talk: Roger Ferryman: A Cactus Man in South Africa 11.00 - 12.15
Buffet Lunch 12.30 - 13.30
Talk: Guillermo Rivera: The Cacti of Peru; the Land of the Incas 14.00 - 15.15
Afternoon tea 15.15 - 15.45
Talk: Ernst van Jaarsveld: The Richtersveldt 15.45 - 17.00
Talk: Woody Minnich: The Great American South-west 17.15 - 18.30
Plant Sales and Special Exhibits 18.30 - 19.15
Short Talk 3 Peter Arthurs: Photography and technical workshop 18.45 - 19.15
Dinner 19.30
Auction in aid of the BCSS Conservation and Research Funds [John Foster Dining Room] 21.00
Gilbert Murray Bar until 23.30

The plant sales will be closed during lectures, lunch and dinner times as the sellers are all paying delegates.

[Phil_SK]

Thanks, I'm clearer now.

[Carl]

Any confirmation on nurseries attending yet?

[Stuart]

I'm not aware if any nurseries have been invited - I've not!!
Stuart - Plantlife

[Carl]

I'm not aware if any nurseries have been invited - I've not!!
Stuart - Plantlife

Oh okay so the stalls are for private sellers only? just people actually coming for the convention...