About the NFB Info About Vision Loss For...Members Resources Products and Technology Publications

National Convention 2009

Platinum Sponsors

View video messages from our Platinum Sponsors!
HumanWare
UPS

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

When:

Friday, July 3—Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Where:

Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center
400 Renaissance Center
Detroit, Michigan 48243
Reservations: Write directly to the above address or call 1-800-266-9432.

Pre-registration:

Pre-registration has closed. Attendees will be able to register on-site for $20 and purchase banquet tickets for $40.

Hotel Rates and Information:

The 2009 convention of the National Federation of the Blind is taking place at the Detroit Marriott, Renaissance Center. It has been many years since we made a significant change in our schedule, but we are doing so this year. Please pay close attention to the dates and schedule so that you are not taken by surprise.

Once again our hotel rates are the envy of all. For the 2009 convention they are singles and doubles, $62; for triples, $66, and for quads, $68. In addition to the room rates there will be a tax, which at present is 15 percent. No charge will be made for children under eighteen in the room with parents as long as no extra bed is requested. Please note that the hotel is a no-smoking facility.

For 2009 convention room reservations you should write directly to the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center, 100 Renaissance Center, Detroit, Michigan 48243, or call 1-800-266-9432. The hotel will want a deposit of $60 or a credit card number. If you use a credit card, the deposit will be charged against your card immediately, just as would be the case with a $60 check. If a reservation is cancelled before June 1, 2009, $30 of the $60 deposit will be returned. Otherwise refunds will not be made.

A few rooms at the same convention rates and with the same deposit requirements are also available at the nearby Courtyard Detroit Downtown, across the street from the Marriott and connected by an enclosed overhead walkway to Level Two of the Renaissance Center complex. To make reservations by phone, call 1-800-321-2211 in the USA and Canada.

Rooms are now also available in the Hilton Garden Inn, about seven blocks north of the Renaissance Center, at 351 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48226. The above convention rates apply, with a nonrefundable deposit of $60.00 at booking and a five-night minimum stay for arrivals beginning Thursday, July 2, and departures no later than Friday, July 10. Please note this means that by making a reservation there you are obligated to pay for the full five nights at convention rates even if you stay fewer than five nights. You may make reservations through Hilton’s reservation system at 1-866-534-5356 through Friday, June 12. Be sure to tell the agent you are attending the National Federation of the Blind convention. These rooms will go quickly; therefore, you should call right away to ensure having a reservation.

Marriott guest-room amenities include cable television, coffee pot, iron and ironing board, hair dryer, and high-speed Internet access—this last for a fee. Wireless access is available in the lobby.

The Marriott Renaissance Center has several restaurants: Forty-Two Degrees North (open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner), Starbucks, and Volt (open for lunch and dinner). In addition Coach Insignia is an elegant restaurant at the top of the tower, and on the Promenade level guests will find a food court. The hotel also has a fitness center and day spa. The Courtyard Detroit Downtown offers Sweet Lorriane's (open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner).

Watch the Braille Monitor for more information as it becomes available.

Schedule and Agenda:

2009 Convention Agenda (Word)

Agenda Audio

The schedule this year is a full day shorter than we are accustomed to. Preconvention seminars for parents of blind children and other groups and set-up of the exhibit hall will take place on Friday, July 3, and adjournment will be Wednesday, July 8, following the banquet. Convention registration and registration packet pick-up for those who registered online will begin on Saturday, July 4, and both Saturday and Sunday will be filled with meetings of divisions and committees, including the Sunday morning annual meeting, open to all, of the board of directors of the National Federation of the Blind.

Immediately following the Motor City March for Independence—the Walk for Opportunity, the general convention sessions will begin on Monday, July 6, and continue through the banquet on Wednesday, July 8. Note that Tuesday, July 7, will include both morning and afternoon convention sessions. Thursday, July 9 will be available for tours for those who enjoy getting to know something about our convention city. Register for the Motor City March now or sponsor a marcher!

Sponsor and Exhibitor Information:

For Sponsors

For Exhibitors

Child Care Information:

During convention week children six weeks through ten years of age are invited to join in the fun and festivities of NFB Camp. NFB Camp offers more than just childcare; it is an opportunity for our blind and sighted children to meet and develop lifelong friendships. Our activity schedule is filled with games, crafts, and special performances designed to entertain, educate, and delight. If you are interested in this year’s program, please complete and return the registration form in April's Braille Monitor article. Preregistration with payment on or before June 15, 2009, is required for staffing purposes. Space is limited, so get your registration in early.

NOPBC Conference:

This year the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children parent division conference will begin with a joint conference among parents, blind professionals, and rehabilitation professionals whose teaching is based on NFB philosophy. The NOPBC conference will begin on the morning of July 3. View the NOPBC agenda and registration information.

First Timer's Guide to the NFB National Convention:

View our beginner's guide to the NFB National Convention, intended to give the first-time convention attendee some important information about national conventions of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB).

First Timer's Guide to the National Convention

More Information:

Additional information as to meetings, schedule, hotel, etc., may be obtained as it becomes available by contacting the National Federation of the Blind at 200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230, telephone (410) 659-9314.