2003 Regional Convention Description:

Friday:

Woodhead Ford Collection:

  The Woodhead family started the very first Ford dealership in Minnesota many years ago. Today, John Woodhead has a privately owned collection of Ford automobiles starting with year 1903 and ending with the 2002 Thunderbird.  John also possesses a great deal of knowledge about each and every one of his 45+ automobiles in this outstanding collection. The facilities where these fine cars are displayed is unbelievable; temperature and humidity controlled and an excellent display arrangements.

Twin City Tour:

  What do you know about the Twin Cities? If you’re like the locals, probably not very much so here’s an opportunity to learn something by way of a guided, narrated sightseeing tour of Minneapolis/St. Paul. The bus leaves the hotel at 1 PM and returns at 5 PM so all you have to do is to sit back, relax, and enjoy. Unfortunately, we’re limited to the first 48 sightseers so get your reservation in early.

  Following are some of the places you will see with selected stops.

  Minneapolis' lively shopping street -- the Nicollet Mall with its collections of well-known department stores, classy office buildings and first class hotels.  You will see the Metrodome, home of the Minnesota Twins and Vikings, the old flour milling area surrounding St. Anthony Falls and the huge University of Minnesota.

  On to Loring Park, a little downtown park with its bubbling Berger Fountain. A brief stop at the unique Sculpture Garden and view of renown Walker Art Center & Guthrie Theater.

  See the lovely old mansions leading to and lining the series of sparkling Lakes for which this City of Lakes is well known.  Following the scenic winding and wooded parkways you will stop to see lovely little Minnehaha Falls before crossing the mighty Mississippi to overlook Historic Fort Snelling.

  Visit downtown St. Paul see its lovely little parks, older than Central Park in New York and majestic old buildings that reflect its proud Historic past.  You will see the gleaming marble State Capitol building, the new impressive Minnesota State Historical Museum to stop for a tour of the majestic St. Paul Cathedral, a replica of St. Peters in Rome, newly restored to it original beauty and large enough to seat three thousand.

  Before leaving St. Paul, you will ride down Summit Avenue, the longest street of intact historic homes in the United States. This is a street of wide green boulevards and landscaped yards and the setting of beautiful old churches and world-class private colleges and universities.

Ellingson’s Car Museum:

  Only 15 miles from the motel, this museum has over 60 classic and antique cars as well as many other items from the past. The showroom leading to the museum has 10 cars on display and some are even for sale so bring your checkbook. The overall tour can take only 1 to 1 ½ hours and we’ll have shuttles available Friday, and possibly even Saturday, to visit this site. Entry fee will be $7 per person payable at the door.

Albertville Outlet Mall:

  Just beyond the Ellingson’s Museum, only 6 miles, is an ever-growing outlet mall with plenty to see and lots of places to leave your money. This will be a sign-up event and based on the interest, we’ll have shuttles available to take you to the mall. Friday will be the primary day this shopping opportunity so those of you that “have to go shopping”, get ready.

 www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=52

Saturday:

Mall of America:

  We just couldn’t have a convention and not offer a shopping trip to the MOA. A sign-up sheet will be available upon your arrival and again, our shuttles will make all of this possible. Below is a link for a photo tour of the Mall just to wet your appetite a little bit.

 www.phototour.minneapolis.mn.us/mall_of_america.html

VTCI 2003 North Central Regional Convention
Minneapolis Minnesota  - July 31 – August 3, 2003
Hosted by the Thunderbird Midwest

Schedule of Events:
(Revised 6-15-03)

Thursday, July 31         12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.         Registration                  
                                     12:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.       Hospitality Room – Open

Friday, August 1           7:00 a.m. –  4:00 p.m.          Hospitality Room - Open 
8:00 a.m. –  4:00 p.m.           Registration
7:00 a.m. –  8:30 a.m.           Judges Meeting I
8:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon          Woodhead Ford Collection 
9:00 a. m. – 4:00 p. m.          Hourly Tech Sessions
9:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.            Albertville Shopping
9:30 a.m., 12:30 & 3:00 p.m.  Ellingson Auto Museum
12:30 p.m.-  5:00 p.m.            Operations judging available
1:00 p.m. –  5:00 p.m.            Twin City Tour 
Continuous from 1:00 p.m. Seminars     
6:00 p.m. - ??            Evening Dinner & Festivities* 

*Our Chicagoland friends showed us how much fun it was to “dress up” for the Friday night dinner so come dressed as what you think people from the North would dress. What comes to your mind when you think of “people from the north country”? Paul Bunyan? Lumberjacks? Ice fishing? Snow shoes? Long Johns? Stocking caps? Boots? It’s strictly optional, but remember how much fun we had in Chicago in 2001?

Saturday, August 2      6:00 a.m. –  5:00 p.m.      Hospitality Room - Open  
                                    7:00 a.m. –  9:00 a.m.      Late check-in Registration
                                    7:30 a.m. –  8:30 a.m.      Judges Meeting II 
                                    9:00 a.m. –  Finish           Judging
                                    9:00 a.m. –   4:00 p.m.     Craft Sale
                                    10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.     Shopping Trip to Mall of America
                                    6:00 p.m. –   7:00 p.m.     Cocktail hour
                                    7:00 p.m. - ??                  Dinner and awards presentation

(Have a safe trip home)

Ramada Inn & Conference Center
6900 Lakeland Avenue North
Brooklyn Park, Minnesota 55428
Reservations: Call   763-566-8855 or 1– 800-343-1737

Special Rate: $79.00 + Taxes  -  Mention the Thunderbird Midwest T-Bird Show for special rate.  Rooms will be held at this rate until JUNE 30^th, 2003. 

| Area Map of the Twin Cities | Ramada Inn Brooklyn Park Map |

• 2003 Convention Registration Form

• Printable Driving Directions to Ramada Inn
  
  NOTE: (The Registration Form and Directions are an Adobe Acrobat File or (PDF).
  You will need to have Acrobat Reader on your System to access this form.)
   
  Download your FREE copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader for PDF files.

Once the form has loaded in your browser window, choose the Printer Icon in Acrobat Reader
(Just above the form on the left side of the screen), to print out the form. If you experience any problems printing the form, please contact us and we will send or email you a copy.