2023 AFSA Convention
The link for the registration form is below. Same format as previous years.
SUMMARY OF AFSA-IRS CONVENTION 2023 SCHEDULE
10/6/23 FRIDAY
Early arrival of hosts and helpers to start set up of hospitality room and stuff gift bags. Dinner is on your own at the hotel restaurant Santiago’s or any number of other restaurants a short drive North on A1A.
10/7/23 SATURDAY
Early arrivals have a day on-their-own. Each attendee will receive a 5 page list of on-your-own activities. Hosts and helpers will shop for hospitality room supplies and finish setting up the hospitality room and stuffing the gift bags.
6:30 P.M.: Group sunset dinner at the appropriately named Sunset Grille, a short drive up A1A. Order off the menu and receive separate checks.
10/8/23 SUNDAY
1:00-5:00 P.M.: Official registration will be in the hotel lobby. Pick up your ID badge and gift bag. Check in for the hotel is 4:00 but we have the hospitality room available at 1:00 P.M. for early arrivals to meet and visit until their room is ready. Each gift bag will contain a map of downtown St. Augustine with the 22 Old Town Trolley stops and historic sites listed. It will also include a list of on your own activities as well as numerous attraction brochures.
NOTE! The World Golf Hall of Fame that was listed in the Spring newsletter will not be open as it will close on September 30th to move to Pinehurst, N.C.
Hospitality room will close at 6:45P.M. to give people time to get to the President’s Meet and Greet Buffet.
7:00-9:00 P.M.: President’s Meet and Greet Banquet. Cash Bar.
9:00-11:00 P.M.: Hospitality room open. Note! The hospitality room opens to a patio that borders the pool but is separated by a fence. We will book all 6 rooms that are within the fenced area so only AFSA attendees will have access to that patio. The patio will close at 9:00 P.M. as the hotel has a noise curfew at 9:00 P.M.
10/9/23 MONDAY
9:30 A.M.: Old Town Trolley Tour of historic downtown St. Augustine begins with two 30 passenger buses leaving the hotel for the Old Town Trolley headquarters where we will transfer to a 76 passenger tram for a one hour guided tour, for our group only, of downtown St. Augustine with a narrated description of the sites along the 22 on and off stops the trolley makes all day long. Your ticket entitles you to get on and off the 22 trolley stops all day long. At the end of the one hour tour the trolley will go to stop 14 where everyone will depart. At that time you can decide if you want to catch another trolley to stop at some other attraction or take a walk down historic St. George Street (a pedestrian only mall) to see the many historic sites or have lunch at one of the restaurants. This is also where you can catch the Beach Bus back to the hotel (included with your daily tour ticket) that leaves 35 minutes after the hour and takes about 30 minutes to get back to the hotel. Last Beach bus leaves at 4:35 P.M.
St. Augustine is a walk around town with most the sites within one mile. If you want lunch, locals highly recommend the Columbia Restaurant (2 blocks from Stop 14) and their famous 1905 salad tossed at your table. Combine it with a half of a Cuban sandwich or many other choices on the menu. Their Sangria is very popular. If on another day you drive in to town and want to have lunch at the Columbia, they have their own parking lot behind the restaurant on Spanish Street (one way) with free 2 hour parking for people eating at the restaurant.
4:30-6:30 P.M.: Board meeting at the Guy Harvey.
5:00-7:00 P.M.: Hospitality Room Open.
9:00-11:00 P.M.: Hospitality Room Open.
10/10/23 TUESDAY
This is an on-your-own activity day. You can choose from a list of activities provided in your gift bag or do your own thing. Remember the hotel is on the Ocean so you can always walk on the Ocean shore and look for sharks teeth and shells. If you want to do more touring of historic St. Augustine downtown you can either drive to town and park in the Visitor’s Center Parking Garage ($15) or buy a ticket for the Old Town Trolley at the hotel desk and catch the Beach Bus that leaves every hour at 8 minutes after the hour.
5:00-7:00 P.M.: Hospitality Room Open.
9:00-11:00 P.M.: Hospitality Room Open
10/11/23 WEDNESDAY
9:00 A.M.: (Note time change from 8:30 A.M.). Opening of annual meeting. The Presentation of colors by St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard. After The Pledge of Allegiance and welcoming comments, a short break and then the annual update from CI headquarters. After the update their will be a 15 minute break before the start of the annual meeting and election of officers.
Afternoon: On-your-own activities.
5:00-7:00 P.M.: Hospitality Room Open.
7:00-9:00 P.M.: Annual Banquet with Cash Bar.
9:00-11:00 P.M.: Hospitality Room Open.
10/11/23 Thursday
Check out by 11:00 A.M.: If you extended your stay enjoy on-your-own activities.
SAFE TRAVELS!