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When will vendor registration begin?
Vendor registration started in mid-February. Click here for more info. What are the costs for vendors? $80 per table (booth) $30/outlet for electricity $25 per item for attendee bags $50 Vendor Presentation (45 minutes) $13 Lunch (Saturday) What size are the booths/what is included? • Each space you reserved is approximately 8x10 feet. • Each space includes one 8-foot banquet table. • Two folding chairs are provided for each vendor. • Tablecloths and skirting are not included. • Pipe and drape dividers are not available. Do I need to submit a MN Department of Revenue form ST 19 if I am not making sales? We are required to have this form on file for each exhibitor at the Conference. We will email it to you when we receive your vendor application. If you are not making sales or are not required to collect sales tax for some other reason, check the appropriate box in the "exemption" section. How do I get there to the conference? UST's St. Paul campus is located at 2115 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105 Directions Where do I park? You can park at most UST lots or ramps for no charge. Observe overnight parking restrictions. Recommended parking areas: Anderson Parking Facility (corner of Cretin Ave. and Grand Ave.) and Morrison Parking Ramp (beneath Morrison Residence Hall). Visitors parking in the Morrison ramp should enter campus at the intersection of Selby Ave. and Finn St. Follow the drive aisle south, under the skyway, toward the stadium. Take a hard right at the end of the drive aisle. Oversized vehicles and vehicles with trailers may park overnight in Lot O or Lot V on the south campus. How do I ship items to the convention site? Send USPS, UPS, or FedEx items to: Dan Taylor ATTN: MCHEC University of St Thomas, Mail #5049 2115 Summit Avenue St. Paul, MN 55105 Send items from a freight company or pallets to: Central Receiving: University of St. Thomas Cretin at Grand Avenue 2115 Summit Avenue St Paul, MN 55105 ATTN: Dan Taylor - MCHEC Items must be received between May 23 - June 1 (not before). I have registered to include my catalogs or pamphlets in the information bags given to attendees. Where do I send the 400 pieces? Vendors who have registered for the attendee bags ($25 per item) should send 400 pieces to the address listed above to be delivered by Thursday, June 1st. If you choose to deliver your materials in person, you must bring them to the east side of the vendor area (Anderson Recreation Center fieldhouse) by 9 a.m. Friday, June 2. No exceptions will be made. No refund will be issued for materials delivered late. Boxes must be marked INFO BAGS to be included. Where do I unload? Directions for using the freight elevator will be sent with the vendor confirmation in May: 1. The vehicle staging area will be in UST Lot A on the corner of Selby Avenue and Finn Street on the north edge of campus. Campus map 2. Check in with Conference staff person in the bright blue bowling shirt and he/she will notify you when it is your turn based on actual order of arrival. The freight elevator entrance is on Finn, just past the skyway. 3. At the freight elevator, we will have a number of staff available to help you move your items into the elevator, and they will be unloaded in the Field House at the top of the elevator. 4. As soon as your materials are unloaded into the elevator, please move your vehicle out of the receiving area and into your parking spot for the day. Recommended parking suggestions are listed above. 5. When you return, you will then move your materials from the elevator area to your vendor booth. I would prefer to move my own materials onto and off the elevator. Is that okay? Of course; simply notify the staff at the unloading area. You must still follow the procedures above and remove your vehicle from the area as quickly as possible so the next vendor can move in to unload, however. Minnesota Catholic Home Educators and University of St. Thomas are not responsible for losses due to damage or theft. Is there internet access available? Wireless internet access is available throughout campus. No password needed. |
Should I bring my own carts?
We encourage you to bring your own cart if you must have one, but we will have a limited number of carts and moving dollies available on a first- come, first-serve basis. Please return them to the elevator area when finished. Will there be Conference staff available to help me move materials to my booth? No, unfortunately we do not have the resources for that service. In addition, we recommend you bring your own moving cart or dolly if you need one. We will have two in the building, but they will likely be in use by our workers during the busy move-in times. If I don't need to use the freight elevator, where can I get into the vendor building? There are pedestrian entrances on the south and east side of Anderson Recreation Center. If you enter on the south side, you will come in at the lower level. Take the elevator or stairs up to the vendor area. If you enter on the east side, there is a ramped outdoor entrance to the upper level of the building. What is the load-out procedure? When your booth is completely torn down and ready to go, move all your materials to the freight elevator. Conference staff will then give you directions regarding your place in line and moving your vehicle to the loading dock. Please note: you are not allowed to move your vehicle to the loading dock area until all your materials are at the staging area near the elevator. · Load your vehicle as quickly as possible (we have helpers if you need them) and once you’ve completed the loading of your vehicle, please remove it immediately so other vehicles can load. Please keep in mind that everyone is loading out at the same time so it is always a trying experience. However with a little patience and courtesy, it can go smoothly for everyone. How many workers can I have at my booth? Each single booth can have up to two workers. Multiple booths are allowed more, if necessary. I paid for electricity. How can I access it? If you requested electricity, your table will have access to one plug-in only. You must bring your own 50-foot extension cord. I represent a K-12 Catholic school. Can I be a vendor? While we appreciate the important contributions made by authentically Catholic schools, the focus of this conference is particularly on those who choose to home educate. Unless your school has some service to offer to this community, you would not qualify as a vendor. Can my family members help at my booth? Youth family members who assist at your booth must be supervised at all times and must also wear a vendor name tag at all times. It would be most helpful if they also wore a t-shirt or other garment identifying them as a representative of your business. How can I find a Conference worker if I have a question? All Conference workers will be wearing bright blue bowling shirts. There will always be someone at the registration table just outside the vendor area, and we frequently make the rounds in the vendor area. Just stop someone if you have a question. How am I identified as a vendor? Name tags are provided when you arrive. All vendors are required to wear this name tag identifying them as a vendor for the entire Conference. Your vendor name tag admits you to the vendor area only. Anyone who wants to attend workshops must register for the Conference. I would like to donate a door prize. How can I do that? After most vendors are set up on Friday, we will have Conference workers go around to collect any door prizes you wish to donate. You may also drop off a prize at the registration table. Prize donation is appreciated, but completely optional. Is there an emergency number? The number for emergency messages during the Conference is (651) 962-5100. What is the vendor cancellation policy? •Full refunds can be issued any time before the vendor registration deadline (April 30). •Partial refunds can be issued between April 30 and May 7. •Refunds cannot be issued after May 7. I am giving a vendor presentation; what AV equipment should I bring? Each vendor presentation room is equipped with a computer (Windows PC) and an LCD projector. If you have a presentation that was created on a PC, just bring a flash drive. If you want to bring a laptop or tablet, that’s fine, but if it’s a Mac or if the presentation was made with Mac software, you must bring the newest adapter cord. How long are the vendor presentations? Each presentation is 45 minutes maximum. In most cases, the next vendor will be waiting to get set up, so please step outside the presentation room to continue any conversations after your time slot. Will my vendor presentation be recorded? We reserve the right to record presentations, but they will not be sold with other Conference CDs. If a recording is made, it will be retained by the Minnesota Catholic Home Education Conference for our records. |
May I bring my own food into the convention hall?
You may bring lunch or beverages for your own consumption. You may provide wrapped candies at your table for conference attendees, if you'd like. I pre-registered for on-campus housing. How do I get my room assignment and key? If you have reserved an on-campus unit (Flynn Hall), please pick up your keys between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. on Friday at Koch Commons (#19). Linen packets (pillow, sheets, and towels) will be given at check-in. The units are air-conditioned. Will there be food available on campus? Yes, T's Restaurant in Anderson Student Center (ASC #16) will sell a la carte food and beverages on Friday from 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. There will be snacks (including pizza) for sale in the lower level of the vendor area (near the gym) during the Conference. A complimentary continental breakfast will be available for vendors and attendees in the vendor area on Saturday morning. If you have pre-ordered lunches, they'll be available in the vendor area about noon on Saturday. Can I attend Mass on campus? Yes, there is a Friday Mass at 12:10 in Aquinas Chapel. On Saturday, Mass is in the main chapel at 7:15 a.m. and 5:30 anticipatory Mass that event. There are several options for Mass in the area. Go to http://masstimes.org/ and search for Masses near 55105. Can you recommend a taxi service to and from the MSP Airport? •Airport Taxi 651-222-0000 (approx. $20) •Supershuttle (approx $18 each way from MSP) Reservations: 612-827-7777 or 612-713-7488 Do I need to collect sales tax? The best place to find an authoritative answer to that question is on the MN Department of Revenue's web site. Frequently Asked Questions MN State Sales Tax Instructional Booklet What is the sales tax in this area? Non-exempt vendors (Minnesota and out-of-state) must charge sales tax on taxable purchases made at the Conference. The current local rate is 7.625%. (6.875% Minnesota sales tax plus a 0.5% St. Paul tax, and 0.25% Transit Improvement Tax) 7.625% Tax Rate Chart However, if a homeschool has a tax-exempt number, you do not have to collect sales tax on purchases related to homeschooling (textbooks, art supplies, etc.). Tax-exempt homeschools must provide vendors with a Certificate of Exemption (Form ST3). (You may want to make extra copies of Form ST3 for your customers.) These forms must be retained in your records. Where can I find an ATM? There is an ATM in Anderson Student Center (ASC #16), the building just south of the vendor area. I know this is a Catholic conference. Can I bring materials produced by non-Catholic sources? Yes, you can. We only ask that the material you offer not conflict with the teachings of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. We will require you to remove any item that does not meet this requirement. If you have any questions, please contact us in advance. What is the schedule? Friday, June 2, 2017 Before Conference begins: 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.All-day Seminars 3 p.m. Catholic Homeschool Support Group Leaders' Gathering Conference events: 4 - 9 p.m. Curriculum Fair & Used Book Sale 4:30 p.m. Homeschool Bloggers' Gathering 5:30 p.m. Vendor Presentations 6:30 p.m. Vendor Presentations 7:30 p.m. Special Presentation (Arena/Gym) 9 p.m. Vendor Area Closes Saturday, June 3, 2017 7:15 a.m. Mass - St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel Approx. 8:15 a.m. (after Mass) Complimentary Continental Breakfast After Mass until 5 p.m. Curriculum Fair 8:30 a.m. Vendor Presentations 9:30 a.m. Keynote (Arena/Gym) 11 a.m. Workshop Session I 12 p.m. Lunch 12:30 p.m. Special Needs Parents Gathering 1:30 p.m. Workshop Session II 3 p.m. Workshop Session III 5 p.m. Vendor Area Closes; Conference Ends When will I receive information regarding next year's conference? Next year's event is scheduled for June 1-2, 2018 at the University of St. Thomas. All current and past vendors are on our mailing list and can expect to receive registration details late January 2018. Vendor inquiries: vendors@mnconference.org |
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