Months of planning and preparation are needed to stage a successful turf education conference. Mother Nature, however, can wipe out those plans in one brief moment.No one knows that better than the folks behind the New England Regional Turfgrass Foundation Conference and Show, held each year in Providence, Rhode Island.
Last year's show was moved from its traditional March slot to Jan. 25-29 to avoid a conflict with the Golf Industry Show. A blizzard warning issued early that week throughout parts of New England eventually led to cancellation of most of the events associated with the conference, leaving travelers stranded and show-goers hunkered down in Providence hotels with nowhere to go.
This year's show has been moved back to its traditional time slot and is scheduled for Feb. 29-March 3 at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence.
A lot of changes, beyond a move back to the traditional late-winter calendar slot, are in store for conference attendees this year.
Among the new offerings on tap are 13 separate two- and four-hour seminars starting at 1p.m. on Feb. 29 and 8 a.m. on March 1. This is a change from previous years where all seminars were held on Monday.
The seminars on Tuesday will be followed in the afternoon with a session with the USGA with an USGA afternoon session, a sports turf seminar and a new session for equipment managers.
This year's keynote speaker will be John Dennis, a local sports talk radio personality from WEEI-93.7FM.
A full tradeshow with more than 100 exhibiting vendors will run concurrently with the education conference.
Speakers including Bill Kreuser, Ph.D., University of Nebraska; Beth Guertal, Ph.D., Auburn University; Pat Vittum, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts; Doug Karcher, Ph.D., University of Arkansas; Jim Skorulski, Dave Oatis and Adam Moeller of the USGA Green Section; Karl Guillard, Ph.D., University of Connecticut; Paul Carter, CGCS, Bear Trace at Harrison Bay; John Ball, Ph.D., South Dakota State; Herb Stevens, Grassroots Weather; Steve McDonald, Turfgrass Disease Solutions; David Huff, Ph.D., Penn State; Steve Alm, Ph.D., University of Rhode Island; and more.
Those who registered for last year's snow-plagued event will receive a 50 percent credit toward registration for this year's show.
Click here for more information, or to register.