MCHD Guidelines

Below are the guidelines for exhibitors who are serving food from the Marion County Health Department:
Guidelines for Convention Center Trade Show Vendors Serving Food Samples

1. Please provide a list of all food products you intend to sample at the show. Please provide the name of the licensed food establishment or processor from which food will be obtained and/or processed .
2. The Convention Center requires that all food and beverage samples be 2 ounces or less.
3. The Convention Center requires that under no circumstances may alcoholic beverages be sampled.
4. Under no circumstances may any food items be sold on site. Orders may be taken.
5. Food must be obtained from a licensed food establishment or processor. No home-prepared foods are allowed under any circumstances.
6. All potentially hazardous foods such as meat, cheese, seafood, cut fruits or vegetables must be maintained at 41°F. All foods that have been properly heated shall be maintained at 135°F.
7. Only cooking, hot holding, assembly and serving of product may occur on site at the Trade Show.
8. If your plan includes cooking, cutting or handling potentially hazardous foods such as: meat, cheese, egg, poultry, fish, seafood, or cut fruits or vegetables, you must assemble a handwashing station in your booth. Please see the attached guidelines for handwashing stations. You can contact convention center to obtain a handwashing station.
9. If your plan includes sampling any of the following: beef jerky, beer, wine, tea, coffee, canned soft drinks or juices, non-potentially hazardous baked goods, snack foods such as chips or pretzels, candy bars and confections, jams, jellies, or non-potentially hazardous spreads such as salsa, or if your plan includes heating and/or cutting pre-cooked foods such as pizza, burritos, pasta, or soups, contact the convention center to provide for you a handwashing station within 15 feet of your booth.
10. All vendors must follow these guidelines:
a) Food or beverage items to be sampled must originate from an approved, commercial source.
b) Samples must be single portioned sizes, which must be dispensed individually in disposable containers or with disposable utensils.
c) Samples must be protected from potential contamination by consumers and the immediate environment. Plastic wrap, dome lids, or portable sneeze guards offer acceptable protection.
d) Bare hand contact with open foods must be minimized by using disposable gloves and utensils.
11. These guidelines come directly from the Marion County Health Department. It is imperative that you follow these guidelines. If found in non-compliance by the Health Department, your sampling activity will be discontinued. If you have any questions at all, please call Kelli Whiting at the Marion County Health Department. 221-2256.

Program Book

Dear Exhibitors,

This year we would like to add a little flair to our program book. In the exhibitor section of the convention program book where we list exhibitors address, phone numbers, e-mails, and web sites we would also want to add a brief slogan for each exhibitor. Please respond by December 11th with a slogan or a sentence that is 75 characters in length. Please make sure your company's name is in the e-mail so I place the proper slogan with the correct company.

Please be sure to visit the exhibitor blog http://imeaexhibits.blogspot.com/

I look forward to seeing you in January

James Byrn

Space Left

We are getting many questions about available exhibit space. We still have space left. I am then asked if the exhibit space left is "good." Obviously the prime exhibit spots are taken, yet we do have spaces with what I would consider good traffic flow.

Excel Password

If you do not receive your e-mail packet from Excel Decorators that includes the password for their web site, you may e mail me and I will give you the password. My e-mail is exhibits@imeamusic.org

Electricity and internet

You will be able to order electricity and internet on site, however it is easier to pre-order your internet and electricity. You may do so on line or by faxing the forms to the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium.

Booth Locations E-Mailed

I have e-mailed all vendors their booth locations. If for some reason you did not receive an e-mail, please let me know.

Tomorrow!!!!

I will e-mail all exhibitors tomorrow with booth assignments. Although it may not happen by the end of business hours if you live on the east coast. My day job (a high school band director) is pretty busy tomorrow. My band is playing at a basketball game tomorrow night. If you are not able to check your e-mail from home you WILL have your booth assignment when you get to work on Wednesday.

Thank you for your patience! I look forward to serving you January.

Booth Assignments

I will have the booth assignments finished and e-mail them to vendors on December 1. I am looking forward to this convention.

Exhibitors who serve Food

The Marion County Health Department's expectations seem to be different every year when it comes to exhibitors who are serving food in their booth. My goal this year is to be more proactive to help you understand their expectations.

IMEA applies for the temporary vendor license. You do not have to worry about this.

The hand washing station placement seems to change every year. As I understand the hand washing stations are to be placed in the booth. The Indiana Convention Center does rent hand washing stations, however it is more cost effective to purchase the items that make up a hand washing station to have in your booth.

The MCHD web site is: http://www.mchd.com/fdevents.htm

The page that explains the hand washing stations is: http://www.mchd.com/pdf/fdpfaq.pdf

Hotel Information

I have had a question about hotel information. Here is the link for our 2010 Convention hotel information:

http://www.imeamusic.org/convention/convention.php

I will also cut and paste the hotel info:

2010 IMEA Convention Hotel Information:
The following hotels have rooms available for 2010 IMEA Convention attenders. Please call the hotel in which you prefer to stay; ask for the IMEA Convention rate. Rooms fill up quickly, so make your reservations soon. Parking is available under each hotel for a fee. The Circle Centre Mall garage is nearby and has a lower rate during daytime hours. All IMEA Convention hotels are connected to the Indiana Convention Center via skybridge.

Westin Hotel
Phone - 800-228-3000
Website - click here
Nightly Rate - IMEA Rate $129

Crowne Plaza Hotel
Phone - 317-631-2221
Website - click here (use group code IME)
Nightly Rate - IMEA Rate $121

Reservation must be made no later than December 15, 2009 and BE SURE to make sure that your reservation is in the IMEA Block of rooms.

If you call one of the hotels and the IMEA rooms there are sold out, please call the other hotel. You will not be referred or transferred by one hotel to another.

PLEASE NOTE: Cancellations must be received 48 hours in advance or arrival to ensure a refund of deposit. Parking costs are not included in any room rates at any downtown Indianapolis hotels.

Welcome E-Mail

Thank you for registering to be an exhibitor at the 2010 IMEA Convention. I am excited to work with you, if you have any questions please let me know. I have a few things I would like to communicate to you.

1. Please keep my e-mail address from going to your spam. I will be communicating with you through e-mail. I will send booth assignments via e-mail.
2. I will have booth assignments completed the first full week of December. You can expect an e-mail with a booth assignment at that time
3. Information for Colleges and Universities concerning our first High School All State Student College Fair will be e-mailed to you soon. We are ironing out the final details.
4. I am going to try to get better information for vendors who have food in their booth this year. Let's hope the Marion County Health Department will cooperate with me.
5. I have set up an exhibits blog this year. The url is: http://imeaexhibits.blogspot.com/
6. The best e-mail address to contact me is exhibits@imeamusic.org

Again, thank you for registering as an Exhibitor. I look forward to working with you.

James Byrn

Caston Bands
IMEA Exhibits Chair
byrnj@caston.k12.in.us
exhibits@imeamusic.org

My E-Mail

As crazy as this may seem...Exhibitors will need to e-mail me using the exhibits@imeamusic.org address. Yet, you will receive e-mail from me with the byrnj@caston.k12.in.us address. The imeamusic.org address can only receive e-mail.

College Fair

Dear Colleges and Universities,

IMEA is excited to announce our first High School All State Student College Fair. Students involved in the High School All Sate Choirs, The High School All State Orchestra, The High School All State IMEA Honor Band, The High School All State Jazz Ensemble, and the High School All State Percussion ensemble will come to the exhibit hall to visit the Colleges and Universities. An isle of the exhibit hall will be designated for colleges and universities. This will make the atmosphere more like a college fair. The goal is to keep the all state students in the college area of the exhibit hall when they are visiting. The times each of the groups will be visiting the exhibit hall has yet to be determined. I forsee many ensembles visiting during regular exhibit hours and a few groups visiting on Friday evening.

Please consider being a part of this event.

A postcard with registration details is coming in the mail. I have pasted the information from it below:

The 2010 IMEA convention is January 21-23 at the Indiana Convention Center & Lucas Oil Stadium

• On line Registration at imeamusic.org/convention/exhibits.php

• IMEA Corporate Member Registration August 31 - September 7, 2009

• Regular registration September 7, 2009-January 8, 2010

• All other communication and forms will be sent via e-mail. Please keep byrnj@caston.k12.in.us from going to your junk mail.

• All Exhibitors will receive attendees e-mail addresses upon request this year!

• A College Fair (for exhibitors who represent colleges and universities) attended by All State high school students will take place this year

I have also set up a blog to relay information and answer any questions exhibitors might have. The url is: http://imeaexhibits.blogspot.com/

I look forward to seeing you all in January.

Sincerely,

James Byrn
Caston Bands
IMEA Exhibits Chair

Exhibit Registration

Exhibit registration has been delayed this year. Due to new advertising opportunities, the exhibits registration will be later. IMEA Corporate Member Registration is from August 31 to September 14th. Regular Exhibitor registration is from September 14 to January 11, 2010.

All Exhibitors will receive a list of attendees upon request. I will be sending out the list of attendees on January 11, 2010.

Welcome

Welcome to the IMEA Exhibits blog. This is a place where exhibitors or prospective exhibitors can find information for the 2010 Indiana Music Educators Convention. I am excited about this new communication tool.