Convention Activities
Awards Night
All MBG members are encouraged (but not required) to attend the Awards Night activities on Saturday evening, August 3, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. The evening will include the Guild’s administrative items, First Time attendee recognition, presentations of the Curry Scholarships, Founding Members Memorial Scholarships, special First Time Attendee awards and other individual special awards. Some awards will require you to be present to win.
Basket Ornaments Raffle
Continuing the tradition, this years’ basket ornament raffle for charity will be for the woven basket ornaments only, which will be displayed on a Christmas Tree (tree not included). Please join us by contributing your basket ornament creations to help decorate the tree. All proceeds will go to a selected charity. Plan to attend the drawing during Awards Night. You might be the lucky winner of all those cute basket ornaments.
Convention Events
Exhibit Room
Hospitality Room
We will have a Hospitality Room once again this year for attendees to relax, unwind, and get an energy boost. The hospitality room will have drinks and snacks, but feel free to bring your favorite non-perishable snacks to share. Due to health precautions, we request all donated items be pre-packaged or individually wrapped. Donations of bottled or canned drinks would be appreciated. Hospitality hours are 9:00 a.m.to 4:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday in Room 102.
Market Place
Name Tags
Please remember to bring your MBG name tag holder to convention. If you forget, you can purchase a holder at the convention for $5.00. First Time attendees will receive a name tag holder at convention registration with a special color name tag. Please look for the special name tags to welcome our first time attendees and to assist them with any concerns.
On-Site Class Enrollments
Unfilled classes may be available during the convention. Please check the on-site open class board at the registration table for available classes. See also On-site Check-in and Registration.
Open Weave
Open weave tables will be set up in the concourse area of the convention center for those who want to finish a basket or work on a new project. These tables will also be used for eating lunch.
Registration Desk and Check-in
See On-site Check-in and Registration
Scholarships
The President of MBG will award two MBG sponsored scholarships during the Saturday evening Awards Night activities.
Curry Scholarships recognize Roger and Betty Curry, for their outstanding contributions to the basket weaving community. They shared the Curry family ancestral Missouri White Oak basket making tradition throughout their lives. One first time attendee and one returning attendee’s name will be drawn from the registration forms and will be reimbursed their paid 2024 convention registration fee.
Founding Members Memorial Scholarships recognize our dedicated founding members who have passed away. Currently, this scholarship is in honor of Ann Clark and Lillian Hoyt. Two recipient names are drawn from the entire MBG membership and are awarded a free registration for attendance at next years’ convention.
Anyone wishing to sponsor a special convention scholarship should contact Cindy Peck, MBG President at president-mbg@basketweavers.org.
Silent Auction
You might be lucky and take home some fantastic donated items from the convention. Bidding is made anonymously by bid number and in whole dollar increments only. Registered attendees should look for their bid number on the back of their name tag. Bidding begins Friday at 10:00 a.m. and Saturday at 9:00 a.m. Following an announcement on Saturday, bidding will close for the auction. MBG will post the winning bids and all winners must pick up their items for that day’s auction during the allocated hours. (See Convention Events) Pickup will be Saturday night and Sunday morning. Winners will need to pay in cash, check or credit card for items at time of pick-up.
MBG appreciates your donations for the Silent Auction. See Donations to donate.
For more information contact silent-auction@basketweavers.org.
Shopping Opportunities
Teacher and Vendor Reception
We are pleased to host the annual Teachers, Vendors Reception, Teacher/Vendor helpers, Convention Committee Chairs, and Board Members on Thursday, August 1, 2024, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Come and enjoy appetizers. Please send your RSVP to reception-mbg@basketweavers.org.
Tools
Traveling Basket
Each year the previous year’s Traveling Basket winner brings a new handwoven basket to the convention for the Traveling Basket drawing held during Saturday’s Awards Night activities. This basket will be on display in the Exhibit Room. Participation in the drawing is voluntary for any registered attendee
Vendor Bucks and Referral Vendor Bucks
With each paid registration, attendees will receive Vendor Bucks to spend at one of the convention vendors. Any registered attendee can also earn Referral Vendor Bucks by referring a First Time convention attendee. Vendor Bucks and Referral Vendor Bucks will be accepted by participating Vendors on Thursday, Friday, including Market Place and Saturday. No replacements will be issued.