The center of the genealogical world will move to Burbank in June as the Southern California Genealogical Society opens the doors to the 43rd Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree.

The popular conference will be held at the home of Jamboree, Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel, 2500 Hollywood Way, Burbank, California, from Friday through Sunday, June 8 through the 10th. Pre-events Family History Writers Conference and Tech-Trax will be held on Thursday, June 7.

We expect to welcome about 1700 attendees, speakers, exhibitors, and volunteers to the Marriott. Our attendance makes Jamboree one of the most popular genealogical events in the United States.

Click on the buttons above to get the details on registration (both online and by mail) speakers, schedule, hotel reservations, maps and directions, local resources and sights, and those all-important FAQs. If you don't find what you're looking for, drop us a note at jamboree@scgsgenealogy.com and just ask. We want you to have the best experience possible.

MEET THE SPEAKERS

Jamboree offers professional, knowledgeable speakers who are dedicated to sharing their skill and experience with others. Whether you have just begun searching for your family or have traveled centuries in your journey, Jamboree offers opportunties to expand your abilities.

Several of our long-time Jamboree family members are returning for 2012; and we are greeting many first-timers. Click here to review our speaker list.

CLASS SCHEDULE

With over 100 class sessions the three days, you're sure to find just the tip you need to bulldoze that brick wall. Jamboree offers classes for novices who are taking their very first step to advanced and professional researchers. Jamboree offers search strategies for traditional repositories (libraries, courthouses, historical societies), to dozens of resources on the Internet. Check out the schedule to learn the speakers, title and descriptions of the presentations.

EXHIBIT AREA

New for 2012 - The Exhibit Hall is open to the public throughout the entire weekend. Between sessions, during the lunch breaks and throughout the day, you'll be kept busy by visiting almost 70 exhibitors, commercial vendors, genealogical societies and heritage organizations, speaker / authors, and others. Schedule enough time to visit all the booths, and don't be shy. Strike up conversations with the booth staff. They have lots of information and are looking forward to sharing it with you. Check out the exhibitor list and check back for updates.




RESEARCH ASSISTANCE

This year, you'll find several opportunities to get personal help with even your most stubborn family line. To maximize the chance that you'll get help, take advantage of all of these opportunities. We hear success stories every year. Maybe 2012 will be your year!

Research Assistance. Southern California Chapter of APG is hosting our Research Assistance resource in 2012. Throughout the weekend, research experts will provide one-to-one consultation. They'll review your existing records, suggest new record types and sources, help you plan your research strategy, and even help you find a professional genealogist to do the work for you. You'll find Research Assistance located down the High-Tech Highway in the main hotel, directly across from the elevators by the pool and exercise room. Watch the blog for more details.

Genealogy World is a 3-hour activity that is all about exchanging information. One of our JamboFREE events on Friday morning, Genealogy World is an informal round-table discussion that allows people with similar interests to sit down at a table and compare notes. If you've had success, tell others. If you need a little help, bring up your question and see what others can suggest. A table host will be on hand to keep the conversation going. You'll find tables dedicated to many types of topics: ethnic or geographic, record types, technology, whatever comes up. If you'd like to recommend a topic, we would love to hear from you. Drop us a note at jamboree@scgsgenealogy.com.

1600+ genealogists and family historians. Don't forget the other 1600 or so people that will be sharing the weekend with you. Talk to them at lunch, while you're waiting for the speaker to start, every chance you get. Introduce yourself to the first-time attendees. Your cousin may be sitting beside you but you'll never know until you say hi. I met one of my Armfield cousins in the ladies room! True story!

Interpretation of DNA Results. You've had your DNA tested, you've gotten notice that your results are available. Once you figure out how to sign on, you're faced with mysterious numbers and words that just make no sense. Stop by the DNA Interest Group table on the exhibit floor and bring your results. Alice Fairhurst and her team of gurus will make sense of the information.


REGISTRATION

The Jamboree Shopping Cart is now open for business! Use your Visa or Mastercard to register online. You will find separate sections for:

      SCGS member registration
      Non-member registration

If you prefer to register by mail or by phone (with a credit card), print out the registration form, fill it out and send it, or call SCGS during office hours at 818.843.7247. You can also pay in person the next time you visit the SCGS Library.

If you are not a member of SCGS, think about joining. You'll see benefits immediately, including discounted registration fees for Jamboree. You will, of course, enjoy other benefits of membership, such as access to the archived Jamboree Extension webinars and remote use of Access NewspaperARCHIVE.

You'll be able to pick up your registration materials on Thursday evening or Friday morning, before Jamboree doors open. Early check-in will be for pre-registered attendees only and no registrations will be sold until after noon on Friday. Thursday evening pick-up will be in the lobby of the Marriott. Friday morning, look for the packets on the Academy Green (the lawn between the Convention Center and the main hotel).

Registration is first-come, first-served. While we try very hard to make sure there is room for everyone, we can't guarantee that every session will have sufficient seating. We will send a questionnaire in May that will help us in our space planning. Please be sure to complete the questionnaire when you get it.

You don't have to register for specific sessions, other than additional-fee events. However, please make sure you provide your correct contact information, including your email address. It will take a few minutes to answer this computer-based questionnaire so we can do the best possible job of assigning classes to the appropriately-sized rooms. Those who register by mail will be able to provide class choices on the registration form.

LODGING

The conference hotel is the LA Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel. The Marriott has designated special room rates for Jamboree attendees. Make your hotel reservations online before May 5, 2012, to receive special pricing of $155 for single or double. You can also register by phone at 800.736.9712 and mention group GGGGGGA.

Parking is available for $10 per night at the Marriott. Parking at the Marriott is at a premium and overflow parking arrangements have been made with the Burbank Airport. As we draw closer to June, we will post maps and other instructions to help to relieve the pain of parking. Check the blog for more detailed information.


THURSDAY PRE-EVENTS

Family History Writers Conference. 2012 will feature its second Family History Writers Conference, held the day before Jamboree, on Thursday, June 7. Our distinguished speakers include Washington Post editor and award-winning author Steve Luxenberg; Dawn Thurston; Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak; and others.

Our first Tech-Trax Workshop will offer concentrated sessions on computer topics that will help to improve your keyboard and organization skills. Whether you're still looking for the place to plug in your mouse or know just enough to scare the grandkids, you'll find a workshop that fits your skills.


PARTNERSHIPS WITH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETIES

Society Row. We know that no matter how much your society wants to have a table at Jamboree, it is often tough to pay the table fee and get volunteers to commit to staff the exhibit booth for three days. Your Society can have a 6' table in Society Row, located inthe Convention Center main foyer, for one day at no cost.  You can distribute literature, sign up new members and sell publications. (Tax permit required)

FREE Society Workshop Friday morning.  Thanks to sponsorships provided by the Federation of Genealogical Societies and the California State Genealogical Alliance, we are pleased to offer a FREE Society workshop during JamboFREE Friday morning. The Society Workshop features Cath Trindle CG, Schelly Talalay Dardashti, George G. Morgan, and Josh Taylor. It runs from 8:00am to 1:00pm and is limited to 200 attendees. While the session is open to the public, we do request the attendees register in advance.

Make Jamboree a Group Event for Your Society Have you thought about putting together a bus trip or group activity for your organization's members?  We'll work with you to help organize the trip. If your society is at least 100 miles from Burbank, we'll give you one basic registration for free for every 10 people in your group. The San Diego Genealogical Society has organized such an event for the past few years. They take the Coastliner train to and from San Diego and they have a great time. If you're interested in putting together a group, contact us at SCGSJamboree@gmail.com and we'll help. Put "Group Tour" in the subject line.

AND MUCH MORE

You'll have a great time at Jamboree! Register today!