ACC Special: 13 June 2010

I'm attending the Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree in Burbank and enjoying the company of other genealogy bloggers, DNA enthusiasts and other family historians. About 1600 people are attending in a facility which allows for at least eight parallel sessions, a large marketplace and lots of casual meeting areas.

The meeting is exceptionally well organized by the Southern California Genealogical Society, which has no paid staff, yet puts on this large conference each year. I suspect that profits from the jamboree allow the Society to keep membership fees low, much lower than, say, the Ontario Genealogical Society.

Several Canadians are participating including Ed Zapletal and Rick Cree from Moorshead Magazines; and multi-talented Dave Obee who is most recently author of Destination Canada. Louise St-Denis from the National Society for Genealogical Studies is giving several presentations on Canadian topics.

As is common with US conferences I have attended the basic registration fees are kept low by not offering free refreshments, minimizing and generating revenue from additional cost lectures, breakfasts, banquets, advertising, etc.

Amongst the most interesting topics were two talks by rival autosomal DNA testing companies, 23andMe and Family Tree DNA. Both announced no cost extensions to their offerings giving new or additional information on geographic or ethnic origin.