The convention will be held at the Crowne Plaza at the Cleveland Airport and all in-house functions like contests, meetings, and most likely the banquet, and awards, will take place in a huge meeting room. However, there have been times when the banquet was in a separate room. All outside events like factory tours and so on will be listed. Sometimes a member living in the area opens his or her home to show of the private collection. Sometimes there are trips to vacuum cleaner stores, or other points of interest. Basically we take over the hotel.  

Check-in is an awesome sight to see. Dozens of vacuum cleaners in the lobby, some are on the floor, some are on bell carts and others are in the arms of their owners. After each machine is registered, and we get access to the meeting room, these vacuum cleaners are set up on tables. While the definition is not good and I plan to rescan these pictures, here's the award ceremony in 05. Yes the conventions are awesome.

To put it into a better term, it's a vacuum cleaner wonderland.

Alex Taber.

It is! A full weekend of vacuum cleaner fun.

If I recall correctly, we gather at the hotel on Thursday, and get the meeting room late afternoon, where we gather and mingle. On Friday we have the contests, outside events, and so on. Saturday is the business meeting, election of officers, and the banquet that night. Sunday are the closing events, then we pack up the vacuum cleaners and head home.

Events change from year to year, but that is the basic line up. So watch for posts that will give you the complete agenda for this years convention, you'll be blown away!

Pictured here was the banquet for 05. Yes, that IS a vacuum cleaner on the table.

Alex Taber.

Let me add one thing. When I stated that the banquet might be held in a separate room, I neglected to make it clear that it will still be in the Crowne Plaza. In most cases we have one room for everything, and on the night of the banquet, the chairs are removed and tables are set up. Here we are, vacuum cleaners on display tables around the border of the room, and usually some vacuum cleaner as a centerpiece for each table. If however, there are too many members, a larger banquet room is needed. After dinner there are the awards. Winners of the contests are announced, certain people honored and announcements made.

The first meeting was held in May of 1985, here's Mike Pupek at club headquarters in Naperville, Illinois at the second meeting in 86 telling about our club logo. If you happen to live in Cleveland, then plan to attend as many events as you can, join us for the banquet and share the fun, even if you go home each night. Trust me, once you get there you won't want it to end. You'll have the time of your life.

Alex Taber

I'm a bit confused. Why would you want to know the information of where the convention is going to be if you don't plan to attend?

But thank you for giving me the opportunity to tell others about the great events that await all of us. As a former Kirby employee, I can tell you this convention will be awesome!

And for those who ARE interested and DO plan to attend. I can assure you, Barb, and the others planning this event will post the agenda once it's ready to go, and most likely a registration form so we can all sign up.

Alex Taber.

Yes, please get me a form so I can book early. I'm hoping to hire a driver to get my non electric machines there for all to see. It's early, 4 months to go, but I really want to find somebody who's driving through northeast Pa. to get me to the convention and home. I'm willing to cover all expenses involved with travel, tolls, gas, meals and so on.

I'm looking forward to seeing you and Scott, and returning to the company I once worked for.

Alex Taber.  

I got my registration form today, I've already filled it out, and will mail it to Dave Olsen along with a money order tomorrow. Thanks for getting it to me. As for the hotel, tabled that so the front desk would register a few people, and get the process going. I'll book with them sometime next week.

See you in June,

Alex Taber.

HOOVER Airlines? 

(Below being a very poorly pasted image of the Infamous HOOVER Convertible model 68 from "Who's minding the store" onto a Hot air balloon).

Tickets are on sale at your nearest authorized HOOVER center!