2024 Convention Registration
2024 Convention Registration Options & Fees
Registering early will save you money and allows us to do better planning for convention. We continue to encourage our attendees to register early for the best pricing. As always, we look forward to seeing you at convention and appreciate your attendance.
Convention is held
Thursday - Sunday, August 1-4, 2024
| 2024 Convention Registration Items |
Early before Jun 29 |
Late Jun 29 to Jul 29 |
At the Gate Fri Aug 2 Sat Aug 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Convention Registration
per Adult (Fri-Sun) (Family Members Under 16 with Adult: Free) Standard Entry: Friday 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Saturday after 7:00 AM |
$38 | $50 | $80 |
| Early Entry Permit per Adult
(Thursday) (Requires Convention Registration, above) Early Entry: Thursday 3:00 PM to 10:00 PM See note below about arrival time |
$23 | $23 | N/A |
| Camping Permit per Site Limited to 1 vehicle and 1 tent or camper. (Requires Convention Registration) |
$45 | $45 | $50 |
| Small RV Permit Less than 17 feet or RV Class B (includes Camping Permit; Requires Convention Registrations for Adults) |
$50 | $50 | $60 |
| Large RV Permit Towed campers more than 17 feet; RV Class A or C; RV Class B 22 ft or over (includes Camping Permit and Thursday entry only; Requires Convention Registrations for Adults) See note below on Large Campers |
$80 | $80 | N/A |
No refunds issued after Jun 29, 2024;
Full refund if convention is canceled.
See our Refund Policy.
Please review the Information & Rules Below
On-line Registration
Register online using a credit or debit card, or with PayPal.
You can also register for the Hartness House Workshop at the same time.
Wednesday Admission for Hartness House Camping Attendees
We allow Wednesday admission to the Stellafane camping area for anyone registering for the Hartness House Workshop and/or Dinner. If you are camping you can check in on Wednesday between noon and 6:00 PM.
In order to qualify for Wednesday admission to the Stellafane camping areas, you:
- Must have paid for a Hartness House program.
- Must have paid for convention attendance.
- Must have paid for camping during convention.
- The Early Admission Fee is not needed with the above
If you have met the above criteria, you will be put on a Wednesday afternoon admission list automatically - there is no request you have to make.
International Attendees, especially our many friends in Canada: PayPal will automatically do currency conversions, and you will be invoiced and pay in your local currency.
Click this box to begin on-line registration.
You will be taken to the EventBrite service, which we are now using for registration.
Questions about Online Registration?
E-mail to ConventionRegistration@Stellafane.org
Register at the Gate when you Arrive
This is the most expensive option, so consider registering on-line. We accept cash or check drawn on a US Bank (no temporary checks - must have printed names) and credit or debit cards at the gate.
The gate operating hours are Friday 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM and Saturday after 7:00 AM
Information, Rules and Regulations
Early Entry Permit – Thursday Night Observing!
Conventioneers who wish to enter the Stellafane East camping/convention site between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Thursday may do so by purchasing an Early Entry Permit for $23 per person (please see below). Stellafane proper (Breezy Hill, the Pink Clubhouse, the fields around the Pink Clubhouse and the Porter Turret telescope) will not be open to conventioneers until 9:00 a.m. on Friday.
There is no need to arrive early, there will be plenty of camping space for everyone who purchases an early entry permit. Please do not arrive before 3:00 PM, we need to keep the road clear of traffic for big trucks and deliveries.
If you are arriving on Thursday, please do not leave the Stellafane site before Friday noon -- the small, dirt entrance road could easily become gridlocked with the normal Friday morning arrivals. Thank you!
Admission/Entrance Policy
ENTRANCE POLICY: Anyone arriving after 10 p.m. on Friday will not be admitted unless they are pre-registered or have already checked in. If you plan to arrive between 10 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. Saturday you MUST be pre-registered!
EARLY ENTRANCE POLICY: Please do not arrive before 3:00 pm on Thursday; We need to keep the road clear for deliveries and large RVs. There is no need to arrive early, there will be plenty of camping space for everyone who purchases an early entry permit.
Large Campers
Towed campers and RVs longer than 17 Feet when being driven (not after setup) require a special permit to attend the convention. The fee for the permit is $80, which includes the camping fee. If you require such a permit you must register in advance - no drive-in admission at the gate without prior registration. Large campers are absolutely required to arrive, and be in place at the convention site, between Noon and 4 p.m. on Thursday and once parked, may not move until Sunday morning! Note that your permit will be noted on the gate list, you will not receive a paper or e-mail. Any questions, please e-mail Convention Registration.
These special restrictions are necessary for the safety of our conventioneers - our roads are small and tight, and we cannot have large vehicles moving about once the site starts to fill up. Thanks for your understanding.
Registration Notes
- You MUST pre-register for the Early Entry Permit, not available at the gate.
- You MUST pre-register for Large RV's and arrive on Thursday (see above).
- Children’s groups: Must contact us before Jun 29.
- You will receive a site map and program schedule when you arrive.
- Read about Camping & RVing at Stellafane.
- Please read our Convention Policies and our Convention Code of Conduct; You will be asked to agree to them before your registration can be processed.
- See our Pet Policy if you are bringing a dog.
- See our Generator Policy if you plan on using a generator at convention.
About Convention Price Increases
You have probably noticed that the price to attend the Stellafane Convention has gone up this year, for the third year in a row. We realize that economic times are tough for many people, and we would like to explain the financial situation of the Convention.
The registration fees from the Stellafane Convention provide the vast majority of the income to the STM organization. This income must generate sufficient funds to run the following year’s Convention, maintain the site over the course of the year, and provide for a few improvements to the physical plant.
To help fulfill our mission statement to stimulate interest in astronomy and allied sciences by preserving and fostering the skill of amateur telescope making to as many people as possible, the STMs have deliberately kept the cost of the Convention low. Unfortunately, this has meant that the Convention has been operating at a financial loss for the past several years.
After an extensive evaluation of the finances of the organization, the STMs have implemented, and will continue to implement, significant cost-cutting measures, which have resulted in significant savings to the treasury. However, we have also come to the conclusion that, to ensure the long-term financial survival of the Stellafane Convention, the price to attend the Convention must be increased such that the net income of the Convention will eliminate the fact that it is operating at a deficit. Also, as we approach the 100th anniversary of the first Stellafane Convention in 2026, we want to guarantee that the Convention will continue to educate people about astronomy and amateur telescope making for the next one hundred years.
We hope that you understand this financial situation and look forward to your continued support of the preservation of Stellafane.
The STMs at Stellafane
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