2026 Convention FAQ - African Violet Society of America

2026 AVSA 80th Annual Convention

May 25 – May 31, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there an airport shuttle to the hotel?

There is no hotel shuttle service. Estimated cost for Uber or Taxi ranges from $25 – $55 based on time of day and traffic.

Parking at the hotel

Parking at the hotel is free.

Where do I volunteer to Judge or Clerk the Show?

Information on how to Judge or Clerk at the show is available here.

What is the AVSA Early Booking Discount?

AVSA offers a discount of $20 when you book at the convention hotel by May 4, 2026 through one of two methods:

Calling the onsite reservations number
Utilizing the online link provided

Detail information for either can be found on the Hotel Information page here.

What is the Discounted Room Rate?

AVSA’s negotiated price for 1 King or 2 Queens is $119 plus 13% local and state taxes.

The last day to receive the discounted room group rate is May 4, 2026 or until the group room block is full, whichever comes first.

I am an AVSA member, can I attend for only a day or two?

One day passes are available to AVSA members for $55.00 per day. The pass allows you to participate in the raffle, attend the presentations, visit the show room and shop in the sales room on that day.

I am not an AVSA member; can I attend or visit the convention?

Yes! The public is very welcome to come be part of the fun.

A Show room pass of $5.00 gets you into the show and sale rooms. There will be 100s of plants and designs in the show room for your viewing pleasure and the sales room will be filled with plants and supplies.

If you join the African Violet Society of America ($40.00 USD for USA residents and $60 USD for International residents) during your visit, you can get into the show and sale rooms for free.

Does a non-member have to register, if they only want to signup for the tours and meals?

If a spouse/friend would like to accompany you, but not attend any of the presentations or see the showroom, they do not need to register for convention. You are able to purchase the meals or tours for them on your registration. There is a limit. Only two (2) tickets are allowed for each meal or tour selected.

I’ve never been to convention. Why go?

People come for many reasons. Some come early to tour and enjoy the local area and use the AVSA reduced rates of the hotel as a vacation. Others come on Wednesday for the convention activities.

It’s not the type of convention where you go from one presentation or activity to the next. There is down time in between activities. Conversations pop up about care, culture, lighting, soil, etc. just to name a few. Everyone does something a little different and you go home with new ideas to try in your own environment.

There is a first-time convention go-er’s meeting on Wednesday afternoon where convention activities are explained in more detail. It gives everyone a chance to meet other first-timers and there is plenty of time for questions.

Plan to spend time in the show and sale rooms starting Thursday afternoon, then all day Friday and Saturday. Hours can be spent just walking around looking at all the beautiful plants in the show room. You’ll want to do some shopping in the sales room. It opens on Thursday afternoon and a line always starts an hour or two before it opens. You’ll find yourself visiting the sales room multiple times as the crowds thin and you find another special plant or supply item that you don’t want to leave behind.

Be sure to attend all the presentations for great education on various topics. Don’t miss the Luncheon Auction where people donate plants and most anything violet related. There’s always a treasure to go home with and each purchase is a direct donation to keeping AVSA going.

AVSA is 99.9% a volunteer organization. Please consider volunteering to meet new people and make your own personal contribution to the success of this year’s convention.

Whether you come for the week or only a few days, each person will get something different from the experience. Hope to see you there!

Do I have to register to be able to purchase plants on Friday/Saturday?

You do not need to register for convention to enter the sales room on Friday or Saturday. There are admission fee of $5.00 for members and non-members.

Can I contribute to the Goodie Bags?

If a person or a group would like to consider donating an item for the “Goodie Bag” please send an email to Sue Lui at suetlingha@yahoo.com

A minimum amount to send would be 200. The ideal amount is 225 but anything between 200 and 225 will be sincerely and gratefully accepted.

All donations are very much appreciated!

Would I be able to do both the judging school as well as attend the Director’s luncheon on Wednesday?

Yes, you will be able to attend the Meet the Directors luncheon and the judging school. The lunch break between the classroom portion and the practice judging and exam will be from 12:15 pm until 1:30 pm. and the Directors Luncheon is at 12:30 to 1:30. If you require further information, check the convention website for full information on the Judging School click here.

When exhibiting, what type of description do exhibitors need to bring with their completed entry form?

If a plant is listed in First Class, a description is not required. If a plant is not listed in First Class, the exhibitor would need a printed copy from the hybridizer or the seller of the plant that provides the blossom type and color, the foliage type and color, and the type of African violet (large, standard, semi, etc.).

As a note, it is known that obtaining descriptions for Russian/Ukraine varieties are more difficult. Classifications will have a separate database of Russian/Ukraine varieties it may refer to, to be helpful to the exhibitor. However, it is the responsibility of the exhibitor to come prepared with descriptions for all varieties not listed in First Class.