2012 Conference FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What are the conference dates?
- Where is the conference?
- Is there a map of the conference locations?
- Why Grand Rapids?
- Who is the cohosting network?
- What is the cost of the main conference?
- Are there day rates?
- Who qualifies for the BALLE Member rate?
- Are there group rates?
- The pre-conference events are additional costs, what does each pre-conference event cost?
- There is a post conference tour of Detroit, what does it cost?
- How do I register?
- I started my registration and didn't finish, can I save my registration?
- How do I modify my registration?
- How do I register if I am a member of a BALLE network?
- How do I register if I am a main stage speaker?
- How do I register if I am an interactive session speaker?
- How do I register if I am a conference sponsor?
- How do I register if I am a volunteer?
- How do I register if I am press?
- I received a discount code, how do I apply it?
- Will there be any scholarship to attend the conference?
- How do I register if I am a scholarship recipient?
- What is the payment policy?
- What is the cancellation policy and how do I cancel my registration?
- Are attendee substitutions permitted?
- Can I bring a guest?
- How do I request a receipt?
- Is there walk up registration?
- How do I check in at the conference?
- Where can I find information on Grand Rapids?
- What is the weather like in Grand Rapids in May?
- How should I make air travel reservations to Grand Rapids? Are there special rates?
- How do I arrange ground transportation from the airport?
- Are there buses or trains to Grand Rapids?
- Is there a ride share?
- If I drive to the conference each day, is there parking available?
- How do I book a hotel room?
- Are there special hotel rates?
- Do you have suggestions for last minute hotel options?
- Are other attendees looking for a roommate at the hotel?
- Is there a dorm room option this year?
- What is the conference agenda?
- When are the pre-conference events?
- When is the post-conference tour?
- What are the conference themes this year?
- Do I need to register for the interactive sessions?
- How do the crowd sourced sessions work?
- Are there any times to network at the conference?
- What are the off-site parties planned for the conference?
- What meals are included in full conference registration?
- Where are some good places to eat near the conference venue?
- What if I have special dietary needs or allergies?
- What is the recommended attire for the conference?
- Are spouses or children invited to conference evening parties?
- Will there be internet access at the conference venues?
- Do I need to wear my badge during the conference?
- What do I do if I lose my badge?
- Are there any tips to keep in mind about attending a BALLE conference?
Location and Dates
May 15, 2012 – May 19, 2012. Conference registration check-in and walk up registration begin Monday, May 14 and continue throughout the week. There are preconference events on Tuesday, May 15 and Wednesday, May 16. The main conference kicks off the evening of Wednesday, May 16 with a reception and opening presentation. The main conference lasts through Friday evening, May 18. The post-conference tour of Detroit is Saturday, May 19.
BALLE's 10th Annual Business Conference takes place at various adjacent buildings in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. Follow this link to a list of the addresses of all our conference venues and a map of the conference.
There is a map in the middle of your conference program as well as online here.
The 2012 BALLE Business Conference is proud to be held in Grand Rapids, Michigan, named “America’s Greenest City” by Fast Company magazine. Grand Rapids has proven that even the forces of recession and industrial decline are no match for the economic power of a thriving community of innovative locally owned businesses. Grand Rapids has put apathy, malaise and economic decline on the ropes, and you don’t want to miss the final round. Learn more.
We are honored to cohost our 10th anniversary conference with acclaimed BALLE network Local First, a nonprofit supporting local business ownership and sustainable economic development in West Michigan. Founded in 2003, Local First is one of the largest BALLE networks in the United States, representing approximately 600 member businesses. Local First believes strongly in the power of local business to transform West Michigan’s economy and communities, and the organization is focused on supporting entrepreneurship, incentivizing sustainable business, and educating consumers. Learn more.
Pricing
The cost of the main conference beginning Wednesday evening, May 16 and ending with our closing Happy Hour Friday evening, May 18 is $650. BALLE Members (including member businesses of networks like our cohost Local First) receive $60 off the main conference ticket.*
|
Full Conference
Ticket Price
|
General Registrant |
BALLE Members
including Local First Members
|
| $650 | $590 |
* Discounted rates are available for confirmed Volunteers, Sponsors, Main Stage or Interactive Speakers, Press and Scholarship Recipients. Contact us with a questions.
There are days rates available. You can register for one day of conference programming only; it is not possible to register for two days (ie. Wednesday Only and Thursday Only). If you wish to attend more than one day of conference programming, you must register for full conference admission.
| Single Day Rates | General Registrant |
BALLE Member
including Local
First Members
|
| Wednesday Only, (conference kick-off) | $75 | $75 |
| Thursday Only (includes evening festivities) | $295 | $265 |
| Friday Only (includes closing celebration) | $295 | $265 |
For the first time ever, current BALLE Networks will be able to extend their discounts ($60 for full-conference tickets, $30 for Thursday and Friday-only tickets) not only to their board and staff, but also to all network member businesses! For instance, that means that all member businesses of our network cohost Local First should register as BALLE Members to receive this discounted rate.
No, there are not group rates available this year. Please note that you can register additional attendees when you register yourself, simply choose the option "Add Person" when you finish registering yourself, but before you pay.
These items are not included in the price of admission to the conference. If you wish to attend a pre-conference event you must register and pay for these events separately during the registration process. If you want to add a pre-conference event to your existing registration, learn how here.
Questions? Feel free to contact us.
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Tuesday, May 15
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BALLE Network Leaders Exchange: Attendance is free and available ONLY to staff and board of current BALLE networks; there is a $20 fee for meals.
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Living Economy Tour: Building a Closed Loop Recycling Program: $50
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Living Economy Tour: Sustainable Manufacturing in the 'Furniture Capital of the World': $50
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Wednesday, May 16
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Accelerating Community Capital Workshop: $150
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Workshop: How to Build a BALLE Network: $150
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Living Economy Tour: Farm to Fork Sustainable Michigan Agriculture: $50 (SOLD OUT)
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This day-long bus tour is $125, and is not included in the price of admission to the conference. This price includes breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as round-trip bus fare from Grand Rapids. If you wish to join us on this tour you must register and pay for the tour separately during the registration process. If you want to add the post-conference tour to your existing registration, learn how here.
Registration
To register, please visit our registration site now!
As you begin to enter your Personal Information you will note a question under the header, Attendance Type, asking "How are you attending this event?" Please select General Registrant unless you are one of the following:
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A staff or board member, or a business member of a current dues-paying BALLE network (select BALLE Member)
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A confirmed volunteer (select Volunteer)
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A confirmed sponsor (select Sponsor)
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A confirmed speaker (select either Main Stage Speaker or Interactive Session Speaker)
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A confirmed scholarship recipient (select Scholarship Recipient)
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A confirmed member of the media (select Press)
Then on the Conference Registration Item page, choose the ONE item that applies to you:
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Full Conference Registration (includes Wednesday opening reception and programming, Thursday programming and evening festivities, and Friday programming and closing celebration)
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Wednesday Only (the evening opening reception and programming only)
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Thursday Only (Thursday programming and evening festivities only)
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Friday Only (Friday programming oand closing celebration only)
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Pre & Post Conference Events Only (choose this item if you are not attending any conference programming and only wish to attend tours and/or workshops on the 15th and 16th, or the post-conference tour on the 19th)
Whatever conference registration item you choose, please remember that pre-conference events are not included in the main conference registration items and you need to register for those events as well. You will see the choices clearly on the next page of the registration process, entitled Pre & Post Conference Event Registration. Optional donation items such as Carbon Offsets and Scholarship Contributions are available on this page as well.
Unless you are registering additional attendees, continue on to the Registration Summary page to process your payment and your registration. Be sure to click on "Finish" to ensure the process is complete.
You will receive an email with your registration information and confirmation code -- SAVE THIS EMAIL! You will need that code to access your registration should you wish to make changes.
Yes, as long as you began the process, our system will recognize your unique name and email address. If you need to stop for any reason during the process, you can close out the website or hit "Cancel" on whichever page you are on. When you return to our registration website, enter your first and last name and the email address you used to start the process. Our system will then ask if you would like to access your saved registration or start anew.
Once you have completed registration, you will receive an email with a summary of your registration and your registration confirmation code. You will need this confirmation code to modify or cancel your registration. You can do this two ways:
1) Click on the link in your confirmation email, which takes you to our registration site. You will see a new tab at the top left of the page called "My Registration." Click on the tab and you will see sub-tabs appear: Confirmation; My Agenda; Modify; and Unregister. Click on the Modify tab to change your registration.
2) Return to our registration website, click on "Already Registered?" at the top or bottom or the page, and enter your registration confirmation code to access the details of your current registration. You can modify your registration by clicking on the Modify tab as explained above.
Please note, that if you registered other attendees, they must enter their unique confirmation code and cancel or modify their registration in the same manner.
We are so excited that you are attending the conference!
As a staff or board member of a current dues-paying BALLE network OR as a business member of a current dues-paying BALLE network, you are entitled to $60 off the current main conference registration rate (see our rates table) OR $30 off the single day rates (see our day rate table).
To register as a BALLE member, please visit our conference registration site and take the following steps:
- After you enter your Personal Information, under the header Attendance Type, you will see a question asking, "How are you attending this event?" Please select BALLE Member as your answer.
- On the next page you will see your Conference Registration Item selections. Please select Full Conference Registration. You will see the full conference price listed with this item -- an automatic discount will apply to this registration item at the END of the registration process.
- If you only wish to attend one day of the conference, please select the corresponding conference registration item. The $30 discount only applies to Thursday or Friday registration and, again, an automatic discount will apply to this item at the end of the registration process.
- On the next page, you will be able to select any pre or post conference events you may wish to attend, make a scholarship contribution or off-set your travel carbon emissions. Each of these items are additional costs and not included in the price of conference admission.
- Unless you are registering someone else, continue on to the Registration Summary page to complete your registration. Click on "Finish" to make sure your registration is processed.
If you have any questions or would like assistance with your registration, please contact us.
Thank you for speaking at our conference! As a confirmed main stage speaker, please visit our conference registration site to register for the conference.
- After you enter your Personal Information, under the header Attendance Type, you will see a question asking, "How are you attending this event?" Please select Main Stage Speaker as your answer.
- On the next page you will see your Conference Registration Item selections. Please select Full Conference Registration. You will see the full conference price listed with this item -- an automatic discount will apply to this registration item at the END of the registration process.
- On the next page, you will be able to select any pre or post conference events you may wish to attend, make a scholarship contribution or off-set your travel carbon emissions. Each of these items are additional costs and not included in the price of conference admission.
- Unless you are registering someone else, continue on to the Registration Summary page to complete your registration. Click on "Finish" to make sure your registration is processed.
If you have any questions or would like assistance with your registration, please contact us.
Thank you for speaking at our conference! As a confirmed interactive session speaker, please visit our conference registration site to register for the conference.
- After you enter your Personal Information, under the header Attendance Type, you will see a question asking, "How are you attending this event?" Please select Interactive Session Speaker as your answer.
- On the next page you will see your Conference Registration Item selections. Please select Full Conference Registration. You will see the full conference price listed with this item -- an automatic discount will apply to this registration item at the END of the registration process.
- If you only wish to attend one day of the conference, you are welcome to select the single day registration option, though no discount applies to this rate.
- On the next page, you will be able to select any pre or post conference events you may wish to attend, make a scholarship contribution or off-set your travel carbon emissions. Each of these items are additional costs and not included in the price of conference admission.
- Unless you are registering someone else, continue on to the Registration Summary page to complete your registration. Click on "Finish" to make sure your registration is processed.
If you have any questions or would like assistance with your registration, please contact us.
Thank you for sponsoring our conference! As a confirmed conference sponsor, please visit our conference registration site to register for the conference.
- After you enter your Personal Information, under the header Attendance Type, you will see a question asking, "How are you attending this event?" Please select Sponsor as your answer.
- On the next page you will see your Conference Registration Item selections. Please select Full Conference Registration. You will see the full conference price listed with this item -- an automatic discount will apply to this registration item at the END of the registration process.
- On the next page, you will be able to select any pre or post conference events you may wish to attend, make a scholarship contribution or off-set your travel carbon emissions. Each of these items are additional costs and not included in the price of conference admission.
- Unless you are registering someone else, continue on to the Registration Summary page to complete your registration. Click on "Finish" to make sure your registration is processed.
If you have any questions or would like assistance with your registration, please contact us.
Thank you for assisting us with our conference! As a confirmed conference volunteer, please visit our conference registration site to register for the conference.
- After you enter your Personal Information, under the header Attendance Type, you will see a question asking, "How are you attending this event?" Please select Volunteer as your answer.
- On the next page you will see your Conference Registration Item selections. Please select Full Conference Registration. You will see the full conference price listed with this item -- an automatic discount will apply to this registration item at the END of the registration process.
- On the next page, you will be able to select any preconference events you may wish to attend, make a scholarship contribution or off-set your travel carbon emissions. Each of these items are additional costs and not included in the price of conference admission.
- If you are volunteering at one of the pre or post conference events, please contact us for an additional discount code to apply to the cost of that event.
- Unless you are registering someone else, continue on to the Registration Summary page to complete your registration. Click on "Finish" to make sure your registration is processed.
If you have any questions or would like assistance with your registration, please contact us.
Thank you for covering our conference! As a confirmed member of the press, please visit our conference registration site to register for the conference.
- After you enter your Personal Information, under the header Attendance Type, you will see a question asking, "How are you attending this event?" Please select Press as your answer.
- On the next page you will see your Conference Registration Item selections. Please select Full Conference Registration. You will see the full conference price listed with this item -- an automatic discount will apply to this registration item at the END of the registration process.
- On the next page, you will be able to select any pre or post conference events you may wish to attend, make a scholarship contribution or off-set your travel carbon emissions. As a member of the Press, you have access to the preconference events, but you must register for them so we can have a proper head count. Again, these events will be automatically comped at the end of the registration process. Any scholarship contributions or carbon-offsets you would like to purchase would be additional costs you would pay for at the end of the registration process (thank you!).
- Unless you are registering someone else, continue on to the Registration Summary page to complete your registration. Click on "Finish" to make sure your registration is processed.
If you have any questions or would like assistance with your registration, please contact us.
If you received a discount code from BALLE staff, you will enter that code at the end of the registration process on the Registration Summary page. There is a field under your order summary entitled, Discount Code. Please enter the code exactly as it was issued to you and then click on "Apply." You should then see the relevant line item amount and your order summary adjust to the correct price.
Yes! We have scholarships to attend the 2012 BALLE Business Conference, but the deadline for submission has passed. Recipients for our RSF Community Capital Scholarship and our Leaders of Color Scholarship will be notified of their scholarship status in the first two weeks of April.
Once we have completed the selection process, our 2012 BALLE conference scholarship recipients should visit our conference registration site to register for the conference.
- After you enter your Personal Information, under the header Attendance Type, you will see a question asking, "How are you attending this event?" Please select Scholarship Recipient as your answer.
- On the next page you will see your Conference Registration Item selections. Please select Full Conference Registration. You will see the full conference price listed with this item -- an automatic discount will apply to this registration item at the END of the registration process.
- On the next page, you will be able to select any preconference events you may wish to attend, make a scholarship contribution or off-set your travel carbon emissions. Each of these items are additional costs and not included in the price of conference admission.
- If you received access to any of our pre or post conference events as part of your scholarship award, please contact us for an additional discount code to apply to the cost of that event.
- Unless you are registering someone else, continue on to the Registration Summary page to complete your registration. Click on "Finish" to make sure your registration is processed.
If you have any questions or would like assistance with your registration, please contact us.
BALLE conference registration accepts these credit cards as payment: Visa, MasterCard and American Express. Payment must accompany your registration. Registrations without payment will not be processed.
If you are unable to attend the conference and would like to cancel your registration, you will need your unique confirmation code that you received as part of your registration confirmation. You can cancel your registration one of two ways:
1) Click on the link in your confirmation email, which takes you to our registration site. You will see a new tab at the top left of the page called "My Registration." Click on the tab and you will see sub-tabs appear: Confirmation; My Agenda; Modify; and Unregister. Click on the Unregister tab to cancel your registration.
2) Return to our registration website, click on "Already Registered?" at the top or bottom or the page, and enter your registration confirmation code to access the details of your current registration. You can cancel your registration by clicking on the Unregister tab as explained above.
If you cancel your registration before May 1, 2012, you will receive a full refund issued automatically to the credit card used to pay for your registration less a processing fee. The processing fee for items below $100 is $10. The processing fee for items $100 or more is $25. Please contact us if you need assistance or have questions.
If you're unable to attend the 10th Annual BALLE Business Conference, you may transfer your registration to another person by sending us an email with the new attendee's name and contact information as well as your confirmation number by Tuesday, May 1, 2012. Substitutions will not be granted after this date.
Guests will not be permitted to attend any BALLE conference programming. You may bring guests to the evening festivities on Thursday and Friday night, but they will be required to pay a fee at the door of $50 per guest. Please let us know if you intend to bring guests to the evening events so we can plan accordingly.
To request a receipt for your conference registration fees please send a request via email and include your name and confirmation number. To request a receipt for housing fees, please contact the hotel you are staying at or the Campus Housing Department at Aquinas College (contact information pending).
There will be walk-up registration available at the conference. Onsite check in and registration will open Monday, May 14, 2012. The walk-up rate for General Registrants for the full conference is $650; the walk-up rate for BALLE Members for the full conference is $590. There are also walk up rates for single day admittance and for preconference events.
Onsite registration opens Monday, May 14, 2012. You must check in to get your conference program, materials and name badge. Your name badge grants you access to all the conference events, so it is important to check in and get your conference materials as soon as you can. Please stay tuned for more information about the location and details of onsite registration in the months to come!
Travel and Housing
Good places to start are our confence host network and BALLE affiliate, Local First West Michigan, and the local convention and visitors bureau, Experience Grand Rapids.
Spring can be warm and gorgeous, or it can be cool and rainy, so although we will all keep our fingers crossed for blue skies, be sure to pack for low temperatures and inclement weather.
There are very affordable flights into the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) in Grand Rapids. We have arranged flight discounts through Delta, American Airlines, United, and Air Canada. You will receive discount code details in your registration confirmation email.
There is public bus transportation available from the airport to downtown, in fact, GR Hopper has a special webpage BALLE Conference attendees can use to organize their travels.
And there is good bus transit available around town. Grand Rapids bus information is here.
There are also taxis available from the airport. We are working on arranging a charter bus to provide shuttles from the airport. More details on that TBA.
Grand Rapids is served by both Greyhound and Amtrak for inter-city transportation.
Follow this link for more information about the Greyhound service and follow this link for more information about Amtrak.
Yes, there is! You will receive detailed information in your registration confirmation email.
Yes, parking will be available under the Wisner Bottrall Applied Technology Center of the Grand Rapids Community College (where our Expo is located and where lunch is served Thursday and Friday). Parking passes will be available for puchase at registration check-in. The cost is $3 per day per vehicle.
We have reserved a small block of rooms at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in downtown Grand Rapids, which has given us a fantastic rate on beautiful and convenient rooms ($122 per night+ tax).
Yes! Rooms at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel are $122+tax per night total, regardless of whether you have one, two, three, or four people in the room (each room has two queen beds).
If there are four of you to a room, then that works out to $30+tax per night. If there are three of you, then that works out to $40+tax per night. And if two of you share a room, then that works out to $61+tax per night.
PLEASE NOTE: We are passed the guaranteed rate date, but if you call the Amway directly at 800-253-3590, they may honor this rate. They are very close to capacity!
Given that our conference starts next Tuesday, our two lodging options are sold out or very close to sold out (dorms and the Amway Grand Hotel)! But, never fear, all our last-minute friends still have options! We can't help you make your arrangements, but we do have these suggestions to help you get squared away:
1. If you haven't already, email Alie Walker for access to our room sharing document for the Amway Grand. Many folks who already have rooms are still looking for someone to share their room with and split the costs (making those rooms $61/night plus tax).
2. Check out these other hotels in downtown Grand Rapids. We didn't get special discounted group rates at these properties, but each is within walking distance (~20 minutes or less) from our conference location.
- CityFlatsHotel. A great independently-owned and socially responsible property. They're LEED Gold certified! As of 5/10 rooms were available at about $160/night.
- Holiday Inn Grand Rapids Downtown. As of 5/10 rooms were available at $140/night.
- JW Marriott Grand Rapids. As of 5/10 rooms were available at $219/night.
3. Check out other hotels farther from the conference site but with lower rates. Check Priceline or Kayak for deals.
4. Consider alternative housing: paying a local resident for a spare bed at their house. Check out options at CouchSurfing.org and AirBnB.
Please email Alie Walker to receive access to our private Google document for conference attendees interested in a roommate situation at the Amway Grand. This list is for confirmed attendees only, please include your confirmation code in your email. You will be able to input your own preferences and the best way for other attendees to contact you.
This is for one roommate to find another to bring the overall cost of the Amway Grand hotel room down to $61+tax per night.
Our Dorm Option is Sold Out!
For those of you who did register for a dorm room, here is the information about your accommodations below:
BALLE reserved a block of apartments at Aquinas College, which is about 2 miles away from our downtown conference site and sits on a major arterial bus route that runs very frequently from early morning to late at night. The apartments have two bedrooms, full kitchens, and air-conditioning. Each apartment bedroom has two single beds, and an apartment can be shared by up to four people. The cost is $22 per night per person, plus a one-time charge of $8 for linens.
All questions, registration, and check-in will be handled by Aquinas College. For more information, please contact Liz Harpold, or call 616-632-2958. Liz will call or email to confirm your reservation.
Agenda and Sessions
The full conference runs from the evening of Wednesday, May 16 through the evening of Friday, May 18.
For a full conference agenda, please see the Agenda page. Updates to the page are posted regularly.
Preview the conference program too!
We have two pre-conference tours and our Network Leader Exchange on Tuesday, May 15 and one more tour and two workshops on Wednesday, May 16. Please note that our tour on Wednesday, the Farm to Fork tour, is sold out.
For a pre-conference agenda, please go here.
PLEASE NOTE THAT PRE-CONFERENCE EVENTS ARE NOT INCLUDED WITH A FULL-CONFERENCE TICKET. YOU MUST REGISTER SEPARATELY FOR PRE-CONFERENCE EVENTS.
We have one post-conference tour Saturday, May 19. Learn more about the tour here. Please note that this tour is not included in the full-conference ticket, you must register for this tour in addition to the full-conference ticket and pay an additional fee.
We have seven conference themes this year:
- Thinking Local First
- The New Pioneers: Steal this Business Model
- Mastering the Triple Bottom Line
- Stonger Together: The Rise of the Network Economy
- The Community Capital Revolution
- In This Together: Government and Local Business
- The Big Picture
For detailed descriptions of our conference themes, go here.
No. They are included with a full-conference ticket and attendance is on a first-come first-serve basis.
New this year! These sessions will be participative and generative collaborations between the participants, with a facilitator assisting the work. Some are hands-on training workshops; others are peer-facilitated work sessions. These sessions will take place concurrently on Thursday, May 17 from 3:45pm to 5:30pm. Read more about each session on our agenda.
Absolutely! There are numerous meal, break, party, and dedicated times when you will have a chance to network with all of the amazing folks at the BALLE Conference.
We will kick off the main conference Wednesday, May 16 with our opening reception: Attendees will delight in a riverfront reception featuring creative local hors d’oeuvres, brew and wine. Local musicians, buskers, street performers and performance artists will be sure to make this a ‘magical’ affair.
On Thursday evening, enjoy an enchanted "Dinner on the Lawn" at Mangiamo! a beloved historical mansion – now local restaurant – just outside of downtown in the East Hills Neighborhood, one of Grand Rapids' most vibrant shopping districts. Local music by The Fauxgrass Quartet and lawn games will make it an evening to remember.
On Friday evening we will close down the conference and unwind with local music, hors d’oeuvres and drinks at Rosa Parks Circle, a gorgeous outdoor amphitheater in the heart of Grand Rapids. Come groove to the music of Afro Zuma, a ten-piece horn and percussion-driven, African funk Afro-beat band, and stay for the announcement of our Back of the Napkin Business Plan Competition winner!
Every night we have designated an After Hours spot at a local Grand Rapids favorite winery, brewery or bar. Check out our agenda for more details.
Miscellaneous
Hors d’oeuvres will be provided at the opening night reception on Wednesday, May 16.
Breakfast and lunch will be provided on Thursday, May 17 and Friday, May 18.
A full catered dinner will be provided on the evening of Thursday, May 17.
At the party on Friday, May 18 there will be numerous fantastic local food vendors from which you can purchase delectable dinners. Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options will be available at all meals.
You will be provided with a map of great local eateries when you register and with your conference materials when you check in on site.
Be sure to indicate your dietary needs and preferences at the appropriate point in the online registration process. That way we will be sure to have enough food on hand to suit your needs!
Our conference is business casual. Spring weather in Michigan is very unpredictable, so be sure to bring enough clothing to be comfortable in warm sunny weather as well as cold and rainy weather.
Also, be sure to bring good comfortable walking shoes.
Absolutely! If you would like to bring someone to one of the evening parties, they will pay an entry fee at the entrance to the evening events. But please let us know in advance if you wish to bring guests to these events so we can plan accordingly Details pending.
Details pending.
Yes yes yes! Your badge is your key to accessing conference programming, meals, and evening events. You will not be granted access to any conference activities without your badge, so please do not lose it.
Don’t lose it! If you do, we will unfortunately have to charge you a $150 replacement fee.
Come prepared to learn, be inspired, network, and have fun.
Soon we will have some tips and advice posted from BALLE conference alums to help you prepare for this event.
But most importantly, drink lots of water, try to get some rest, and make sure you empty out your heart and your mind before you get here because we are going to fill them both to capacity.






