So many of us found hope in Alcoholics Anonymous, and that is the theme for this year’s convention. Where there was once only despair, discouragement and gloom, AA opened the door to the possibility of a bright and useful future. Hope is the key.
And hope is what you’ll find when the Santa Barbara Convention celebrates its 25th year this October. It will be in the messages of the speakers, in what is shared in the Marathon Meetings, in the camaraderie around the Hospitality tables – everywhere you look. Of course there will be the main meetings, including the big speaker meetings Friday and Saturday night and on Sunday morning, plus the H&I Breakfast meeting, and the Long-timers’ meeting. In addition to the joint AA/Al-Anon split pitch, Al-Anon will be hosting their own meetings as well. Then there are the young people’s meetings, gay and lesbian meetings, and Spanish speaking meetings. Both AA and Al-Anon will have Marathon Meetings going on every day, too, and on into the night, and three meditation meetings are planned. Don’t forget Sober Bingo, the Saturday night dance, and other opportunities for fellowship and fun. There will be something for everyone who attends the convention. You can see a preliminary schedule here to give you an idea of what to expect.
October can offer some of the best weather of the year in Southern California – especially in Santa Barbara – so come join us. Regardless of what the weather brings, though, plan on a weekend of fun, fellowship, good food, and a strong message of hope. We look forward to seeing you. Between now and then, bookmark this page and check back regularly for the latest news, because we'll update the site as soon as information becomes available. This year’s convention will be a special one. Don't miss it.
On-line Registration
On-line registration is now available. Click here to go to the registration page. Filling in the form is fast and easy. Either select a standard registration for yourself, or choose the convention package to take advantage of early registration savings. If you're coming with friends, you may purchase additional packages or registrations, as well as event tickets for them on the same registration page (their name badges will be prepared at convention check-in).
When you're done, click the payment button to take you to a PayPal page, which handles the on-line convention payments securely and safely. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and PayPal transfer online. You do not need a PayPal account to pay by credit card, nor do you have to create one during the payment process.
On opening day of the convention, there will be a special location at the Registration table for those who have pre-registered. Your registration package, including your badge and event tickets, will be waiting for you, so you can bypass most of the lines.
Convention Schedule
The schedule of convention events is available here (también en Español). You can download a PDF of the complete schedule, or one for each individual day. Don't miss anything. Use the schedule to plan your entire weekend.
Golf Tournament
Golfers and hackers, come out for the tournament this year. It's a Texas Scramble format, and that makes it about as low pressure as golf gets. You'll be playing in a team of four golfers (put together your own foursome if you like). Each player tees off on each hole. The best of the tee shots is selected and all players play their second shots from that spot, and so on until the ball is holed. So if you hit a bad shot (it happens!), you just pick up your ball and go to the best your team had. On the other hand, if you hit one of those great shots that even the worst of us get now and then, well, that's what makes you keep coming back to the game, isn't it.
Join us for a great day at the Santa Barbara Golf Club (Muni, to the locals). The first group will tee off at 9 AM, so be there early to register for the convention and the tournament, and buy mulligans to give you a second chance at that great shot. Sober golf is definitely a good way to connect with other members of our fellowship, learn patience and tolerance (not to mention humility), and HAVE FUN!! The awards are being presented on Friday night at the barbeque, so be sure to include that in your list of things to do.
Make It Happen
There are plenty of opportunities for you to get involved in this year’s convention. Some committee positions are still open, and of course, the convention would not be possible without the help of all our volunteers, so that’s another way you can participate. Not only is it a way to be of service, but it’s a lot of fun, and an opportunity to work with and get to know a good group of sober men and women. Come to the next meeting to find out more. Click here for more information.