New Virtual Pass for RootsTech

There is an exciting new development for this year's RootsTech conference, which will be a real bonus for those who can't attend the conference in person (as well as for those who are attending).  You will now be able to purchase a virtual pass which will give you one year's access to recordings of 18 of the talks. This is in addition to the live streamed sessions, which as well as being able to be viewed live, will be online for free, as they have been in past years.  The Virtual pass will cost $US129 for those who aren't attending RootsTech, and only $US79 as an add-on for those who are attending. The sessions can be viewed on your desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. 

The complete list of the 18 talks is online here (and one of them relates to my passion, which is medieval English genealogy & history), and the list of the live-streamed sessions is online here.

Why not register for these sessions?

Less than 40 days til RootsTech 2019!

It is now less than 40 days til RootsTech 2019!  Whether you are a first timer, or a seasoned attendee, you will have a fantastic experience if you attend. And there are many reasons you should attend.

The RootsTech Expo Hall

Firstly, the classes. There are over 300 classes (labs and lectures), and they cover a variety of topics, so there will be something for everyone, not just those with American Ancestry. DNA will feature heavily in the class schedule, as it has become so popular.

The main hall, waiting for the Keynotes

Then there is the Expo hall. This is always a highlight for me, as I love the opportunity to speak to the big vendors and to see any new and upcoming ones.  This year there will be close to 200 exhibitors, so it's a great way to keep up with new developments in the industry.

Another draw-card are the Keynote speakers. They are always interesting, and this year looks to be no different.  Thursday's Keynote will be actress PatriciaHeaton from Everybody Loves Raymond and The Middle. Friday's Keynote is Saroo Brierley, who was separated from his family when he was five and eventually adopted by a family from Tasmania. His story was told in the movie Lion.

Then Jake Shimabukuro from Hawaii, who is a master of the Ukulele, will feature on the Saturday. But before you turn up your nose at this, thinking that the ukulele is a bit twee and amateurish and brings back memories of George Formby, you should look at some of his YouTube videos. This is his version of George Harrison's WhileMy Guitar Gently Weeps and a classical style piece called Dragon and the ever-popular Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

Me (far left), waiting for a Keynote speaker in 2018

Last year the "Relatives at RootsTech" part of the FamilySearch Family Tree app was a lot of fun. It is based on the giant family tree hosted by FamilySearch, and highlights other people who are at RootsTech who are related to you.  This year's version has some improvements, detailed here.

There is a lot of useful information in the Road to RootsTech videos, and a very useful blog post about what to wear and what to bring to RootsTech.

Register before Jan 25 to talk advantage of special price of $209.

But if you can't attend in person, details of the live streaming schedule are available here.