AEC Conference on Southern Literature …A Writers' Conference for Readers

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. When do I pick up my registration materials?
A. If you have pre-registered, pick up registration materials at the Conference registration table. Registration opens at 12 pm on Thursday in the UTC Fine Arts Center, and at 8 am on Friday and Saturday at the Tivoli Theatre. Your registration badge is your pass to all Conference events, including the Saturday luncheon at the Convention and Trade Center. Please wear it to all events.

Q. Can I purchase additional Conference programs?
A. One program is included with your registration. Additional copies are $5 each, while supplies last.

Q. Can I buy a one-day ticket to the Conference?
A. One-day tickets may be purchased for Thursday or Friday of the Conference for $35. The Saturday one-day ticket is $50 and includes the luncheon with Edward P. Jones.

Q. Do you offer a student admission price?
A. Full time students with a current school I.D. receive a Conference admission price of $15, good for all three days, including the Saturday luncheon with Edward P. Jones.

Q. Where should I stay during my visit to Chattanooga?
A. Whether you're looking for elegance or traveling on a budget, Chattanooga has it all. For your convenience as a Conference attendee, we suggest contacting Tennessee Valley Travel at 1-800-523-4214 or www.tntravel.com for assistance with accommodations and airfare.

Q. Are downtown hotels within walking distance of the Conference meeting sites?
A. Downtown hotels are within walking distance to the Tivoli Theatre for the events on Friday and Saturday. Thursday events are scheduled at the University of Tennessee Fine Arts Center, several blocks from downtown hotels. We are pleased to offer shuttle service for Conference participants on Thursday, March 31 to the UTC Fine Arts Center from 11:30 am to 6:30 pm, and to the Chattanooga Theatre Centre for the drama reading from 7:15 to 10:15 pm.
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You may board the Conference shuttle at the Chattanooga Choo Choo (1400 Market Street), Read House (827 Broad Street), and Hilton Garden Inn (311 Chestnut Street), all located downtown. The shuttle runs every 20 minutes.

CARTA—Chattanooga’s public transportation—offers a free, daily, downtown shuttle that runs from the Tennessee Aquarium to the Chattanooga Choo Choo. This service may be used on Friday and Saturday to reach the Tivoli Theatre. A map will be enclosed in your registration packet showing the shuttle route. Special CARTA shuttles will transport you to the Saturday luncheon at the Chattanooga Convention and Trade Center beginning at 11:30 am from the front of the Tivoli Theatre. Shuttles will leave every five minutes. After the luncheon, shuttles will return you to the Tivoli Theatre.

Q. I’m driving in from out of town. Is parking provided for Conference attendees at the meeting sites?
A. There is plenty of parking available near each meeting site, although no special parking is designated for Conference attendees. For Thursday’s events at the University, parking is available in the Fifth Street parking garage by the Arena. Another option is to park at Engel Stadium (5th Street and O’Neal) and take the FREE UTC Mocs Express Shuttle to the Fine Arts Center on Vine Street. Mocs Express Shuttles run every 8 minutes and are wheelchair accessible.

Download UTC Parking Map (Adobe Acrobat required)

The Tivoli Theatre does not have its own parking lot or facility. For Friday and Saturday events, the AEC suggests parking at the Shuttle Park South (by the Chattanooga Choo Choo, 1400 Market Street) or Shuttle Park North (Bijou Theatre, 215 Broad Street) and riding the free electric CARTA shuttle. If you are staying in a downtown hotel, the hotel should provide parking during your stay.

Q. Will I be able to buy books written by all the authors at the Conference?
A. Wild Hare Books, the Conference book vendor, will offer a wide selection of titles from all the authors. These books will be for sale each day of the Conference. Cash, check, or major credit cards will be accepted. The official book signing is Friday, April 1, 2005, immediately following Reynolds Price's address on the Tivoli Theatre stage.

Q. Where can I eat during Friday's lunch “on your own”?
A. The downtown Chattanooga area provides many dining options to suit your tastes and your wallet. Visit the Chattanooga Visitor's Bureau web site, www.chattanoogafun.com, or refer to the dining guide in your registration packet for a listing of venues within walking distance to the Tivoli Theatre.

Q. Will there be videotapes of the proceedings that I can purchase?
A. No videotapes will be sold.

Q. How many people attend the AEC Conference? Will I actually be able to meet the writers?
A. Approximately 1,000 people attend this Conference for all or a part of the schedule. There are book signings and breaks between events, at which time many writers mingle with Conference attendees.

Q. I don’t know anything about Chattanooga. How can I find out more?
A. A Visitor's Guide is included in your registration packet, or for more information visit the city’s website, www.chattanoogafun.com, or call the Chattanooga Visitors Bureau at (800) 322-3344.

Q. What do people wear at these events? Is any event dressy? What’s the weather like in Chattanooga in late March/early April?
A. Guests are welcome to wear comfortable, casual clothes to all events. The weather is usually mild in Chattanooga in late March/early April, but cool temperatures are not uncommon, especially in the evening. It would be wise to bring a coat or jacket.