Fossil Expo 29: Dinosaurs!

NEW! Tsintaosaurus skeleton
to be exhibited at Expo 29!

NATIONAL FOSSIL EXPOSITION XXIX-2007

Attention Dealers: Illinois Sales Tax Requirements

LOCATION AND TIME

EXPO will be held in the gym at Western Hall, on the campus of Western Illinois VIEW MAP University, Macomb, Illinois.

The simplest way to the site is to turn off IL 67 west onto University Drive. (Follow the signs.) Set-up is permitted on Friday, March 30, at 8:00 a.m.

EXPO HOURS:

• Friday, March 30 - 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

• Saturday, March 31 - 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

• Sunday, April 1 - 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

(We encourage exhibitors to stay until noon on Sunday, but many leave early.)

If you plan to stay in a motel, we urge you to make your reservations early. Local motels are generally filled during the weekends.

The Night of the Living Dead: Reconstructing T. Rex Behavior Using Taphonomy and Pathologies

Friday night's Keynote Speaker will be Peter Larson, the president of the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research. He is considered an overall expert on Tyrannosaurus rex fossils having led the excavation of the infamous "Sue" the most complete T. rex found to date (Wikipedia).

 

Saturday evening, a live auction will follow a short business meeting and awards presentation. Silent auctions will be held Friday afternoon and all day Saturday. Proceeds from the auctions go to paleontology scholarships.

Each dealer is encouraged to contribute a specimen/specimens equal to or greater than the cost of the tables he/she has rented in order to assure consideration for table space at the next EXPO. Include full data and the name of the fossil donor. Specimens can be left at the information desk up to 3:00 p.m. Saturday. If you wish to mail a specimen, send it with pertinent information to Randy Faerber, 7854 Darnell St., Lenexa, KS 66216-3704. Randy will send a postal acknowledgment on receipt of the specimen.

TRANSPORTATION

There are 2 highways leading into Macomb - IL 136, an E-W route, and IL 67, a N-S route.

There is no plane service to Macomb at this time, but you can fly into Moline, IL, St. Louis, MO, or Peoria, IL, and rent a car and drive to Macomb.

LODGING Macomb area code - 309; Macomb zip code - 61455

MOTELS - We have been informed that most Macomb motels have different prices for weekends than for weekdays, so check prices if you are concerned about costs.

Motels are listed according to what has generally been the highest-priced one to the lowest-priced one except those marked*.

It has been reported that some of the hotels raise the price for EXPO weekend, so you might want to check prices.

Ameri Host 1646 N. Lafayette 837-2220

Holiday Inn Express 1655 Jackson St. 816-6700

Macomb Inn (Days Inn) 1400 N. Lafayette 833-5511

(50 rooms at Macomb (Days) Inn are blocked at $59/per night (plus tax) with breakfast in the lobby. Identify with Steven Holley from MAPS)

Super 8 313 University Drive 836-8888

Pineapple Inn 204 Jefferson Street 837-1914

Travel Inn Hwy Hwy 136 West 833-4521

Star Motel Hwys 67 South and 136 East, 1507 E. Jackson Rd 837-4817

Brockway House (Bed & Bkfst) 331 E. Carrol 837-2175

CAMPERS - Persons traveling in self-contained camping units may park on the parking lot. See Public Safety located in the Union. IDENTIFY WITH MAPS

MOBILE HOME PARKING - is offered at TILL JORDAN MEADOW MOBILE PARK by calling 309-837-2883, for those who wish utility hook-up.

UNION - No rooms have been blocked at the Union this year. Contact Western Illinois University directly at 309-298-1941 to see if rooms are available. (The Union rooms may not be as convenient as in the past because the show is now held in Western Hall.)

OLSON HALL - Dormitory-style housing is available at the University in Olson Hall - Dorm rooms with community bath on floor. CONTACT THE UNIVERSITY directly at 309-298-3500 for reservations.

IN ALL CASES, IDENTIFY WITH MAPS

PARKING Parking at Western Hall will be free in the large lot adjacent to the hall. Check to see if visitor permits are available when you arrive. If you get a ticket, it can be fixed with a phone call; the number will be available at the front desk. For those staying in the Union, parking at the Union is east of the Union with room permits.

MEALS There will be a food stand in a room adjoining the Gym. Meals are also available in the Union: fast food in the LOWER level and a deli in the basement. Ice cream is also available. There are many restaurants in town and a deli bar in a nearby grocery store.

EXPO REGULATIONS Everyone is requested to make advance table registration by February 15, 2006. Mark your calendars now so you do not forget! Registration forms for your requests for tables, etc., are found on page 8 in the Digest. Send these forms and your check or money order made payable to MAPS to: Marc Behrendt, 421 S. Columbus St., Somerset, OH 43783. Admission to the show is free. Please send dues to Treasurer before EXPO. If you do pay at Expo, please be sure your dues payment is recorded before you leave the desk.

EVERYONE IS EXPECTED TO STAY THROUGH 5:00 SATURDAY, and all are encouraged to stay through Sunday.

PLEASE NOTE YOUR PLANS FOR LEAVING ON THE RESERVATION FORM.

THE COMMITTEE INSISTS THAT ALL MATERIALS BE FOSSIL OR FOSSIL-RELATED. Absolutely NO Mountings, Gemstones, Minerals, Human Remains, Artifacts, or Relics, etc., are permitted!!!

PLEASE BE SURE ALL YOUR MATERIAL IS LEGAL.

AISLES MUST BE KEPT CLEAR AT ALL TIMES.

We Prefer No Dogs. If They Must Be Brought In, Dogs Must Be on a Leash Or in a Pet Carrier. Roaming Dogs are not allowed. (Seeing eye dogs are welcome.)

ALL TABLES WILL BE ASSIGNED Cost of the tables is $15.00 each for the first two 6' tables rented for the weekend; Additional tables will cost $30.00 each. MAXIMUM of 10 tables per person/membership - only 3 against the wall per person/membership. MAPS memberships will have first chance at all tables requested before February 15.

DISPLAYS Displays are welcome at the show. Please note any displays you are bringing on the registration form.

ALL RESERVATIONS WILL BE ACKNOWLEDGED

EXPO Contact Information

A live auction will be held on Saturday evening of EXPO, following a brief business meeting and awards presentation. Also, during show hours on Friday afternoon and Saturday, several silent auctions will be held to shorten the live auction. As part of your table fees, you are encouraged to donate a correctly labeled, quality fossil(s) or fossil-related item(s) to the Auction. Information to include with the specimen is as follows:

• Brief description and common name, species information, location, and time period.
• A minimum guide to the value of your donation would be something equal to your table fee. In other words, if you have one table, the donation should have a minimum value of $15; two tables, $30; and so on.

Preference on future table assignments will be given to those who make a donation to the auction as suggested above.
Most proceeds from the auction go to the Paleontological Society Scholarship Fund. As an interesting note, a number of Auction donations are made by individuals who do not have tables, or who are unable to attend EXPO or the Auction.

The many generous donations in preceding years have allowed us to contribute approximately $3500 for each of the past several years. Our primary support goes to the Paleontological Society for scholarships and the Strimple fund, with additional support to the Paleontological Research Institute (PRI), and the Repository at the University of Iowa, which hosts MAPS board meetings. With continued membership support, we hope to continue the trend.

NATIONAL FOSSIL EXPO XXIX - REGISTRATION FORM

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FORM BELOW, ENCLOSE IT WITH A CHECK OR MONEY ORDER PAYABLE TO MAPS, AND MAIL TO

MARC BEHRENDT
421 S. COLUMBUS ST.
SOMERSET, OH 43783.

• The floor plan will be first laid out on February 15, with all received requests being assigned tables. Thereafter, tables will be assigned on a first come/first served basis. This is necessary to insure fairness to all registrants, and to determine remaining number of tables.
• Registrations with special requests (e.g. same as last year, next to John Doe, etc.) must be received by February 15 to be honored. Special requests received after Feb. 15 will be honored if possible, but cannot be promised.
• If a request is made to be next to a friend or family member, all the involved people must have their payments and registrations in by February 15 to be honored. For example, if 4 members wish to be clumped in a group, 3 turn in registrations and the 4th does not, the 4th person may not be set up with the grouping, if the tables are used up. (Of course, every effort WILL be made to keep the 4 members together.)
• If Western Hall fills to capacity, a waiting list shall be created. As cancellations occur, the tables will be assigned in the order received.
• A maximum of 10 tables can be reserved per person, organization, or membership. Tables are 6 feet long. Only 3 tables/person can be along the wall.

Please click here for a printable Expo registration form.