Alamogordo, New Mexico, September 26-29
Meetings, Workshops and Meals take place at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites, 100 Kerry Avenue, except where noted.
The following schedule is what was planned for 2020 and we hope to offer the same field trips and similar workshops. Many facilities remain closed as of April 2021, and what we are finally able to do will depend on availability at the time. We are working to have options and alternatives in place soon.
Sunday, September 26
2:30pm Board of Directors Meeting (open to all members)
6:00pm Registration, Opening Reception, Happy Hour and Light Buffet
7:30pm Presentation of Contest Submissions
Monday, September 27
8:30am Welcome, Handouts & Announcements – President Virginia Staat & Friends
9:00am Carpool to Oliver Lee Memorial State Park (14 miles south of Holiday Inn Express via U.S. 70, U.S 54, and Dog Canyon Road).
9:30am Meet at state park visitor center, explore museum, get car passes (included in registration fee), and caravan to restored Oliver Lee Ranch House for guided tour. Return to main area of park to see historic buildings, a riparian nature trail, desert scenery, and wildlife.
12:00pm Meet at the state park’s group picnic area for a box lunch ($).
1:00pm Free time to explore the Three Rivers Petroglyph Site (37 miles north of Holiday Inn Express via U.S. 54), New Mexico Museum of Space History, and/or other local attractions, on your own.
5:00pm Showcase of Selected Members Photography
6:00pm Dinner ($$)
7:00pm Sand Dune Photography Workshop
Tuesday, September 28
9:00am General Membership Meeting & Planning For Future Conferences
10:00am Break
10:15am Self-Publishing – A Panel Discussion, David Staat, moderator
11:45pm Lunch ($$)
12:45pm Bringing Characters to Life, Writing Workshop
1:45pm Break
2:00pm Carpool to White Sands National Park (14 miles southwest of Holiday Inn Express via U.S. 70), explore the visitor center, watch the video, and head into the dunes.
4:00pm Meet at the White Sands Group Picnic Area for a barbecue supper ($$).
5:30pm Meet at the “Sunset Stroll Meets Here” area in the sand dunes to join the park’s leisurely sunset walk with a park ranger. (Sunset 6:44pm, park closes 8:00pm)
Wednesday, September 29
6:00am Sunrise Photo Shoot (sunrise 7:05am), with breakfast-to-go provided by Holiday Inn Express
9:00am Anne Sullivan Writers Forum
11:00am Photo Critique with Fred Lord and Bill Horton
12:00pm Lunch ($$)
12:45pm The Nitty-Gritty of Planning Your Article or Photo Essay, a Workshop
1:45pm Break
2:00-5:00pm Auction
6:00-9:0pm Banquet ($$) and Awards Ceremony