22 July 2015

Rockstar Genealogists at BIFHSGO

Presentations, marketplace and interaction. Those are the top three reasons for 20 years now family historians from Ottawa and further afield have been coming to the BIFHSGO annual conference.

The 21st conference is coming, September 18 - 20. Saturday's opening plenary Genealogy: The Future is Now will be given by Thomas MacEntee. Very active on social media (presently on a mini-sabbatical following surgery) and with a hi-tech background, Thomas was #3 Rockstar Genealogist voted by Canadians in 2014. Thomas will be giving three other technology-oriented presentation throughout the conference.

For Saturday only come to hear two presentations by #1 Rockstar Genealogist as voted by UK residents Janet Few, an experienced family, community and social historian passionate about passing on her love of family and local history. Janet will be with us in person, dropping in during a trip across Canada.

On Sunday only, flying in from speaking in Toronto the previous day, will be popular speaker Chris Paton, #2 Rockstar Genealogist voted by Canadians. If you have Scottish ancestry you won't want to miss Chris' two talk on Sunday morning on Scottish records and his entertaining closing plenary presentation which will be of interest to those whose lost ancestral marriage may have occurred at Greta Green and, we are warned, may include references to antenuptial fornication.

If you think Scotland is being short-changed in the regular rotation of conference themes fear not. Christine Woodcock, Director of Genealogy Tours of Scotland for which she organizes 10-day research trips to Edinburgh and beyond, will be giving seminars and presentations with something for Scottish researchers from beginner to advanced.

With us throughout the weekend will be photo-specialist Maureen Taylor, ranked among the top 20 US Rockstar Genealogists last year, who is someone we wanted to have at last year's conference but is so popular she was already booked. If you have photos languishing in your collection you'll benefit from her presentations, including her humourous Don Whiteside presentation at the conference opening.

There's more. Check out the program at http://www.bifhsgo.ca/aem.php?eid=1

This year, with the conference moved to Ben Franklin Place, Nepean, the marketplace will be more compact than previously. Expect the same major exhibitors, including Global Genealogy, as in past years but with less walking involved.

The interaction can't happen without you. Social media are fine, you can get a lot out of Facebook, webinars and hangouts, but you don't get as up close and personal as meeting face to face. That's powerful.

Increase your chances of making a breakthrough by registering now and count on BIFHSGO to deliver again, The deadline for early registration this year is Friday, August 14, at midnight. The conference registrar Susan Mackenzie is asking you to simplify her life a little by registering before the deadline. Help her out now starting at http://www.bifhsgo.ca/aem.php?eid=1




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