Meeting Policies

Eligibility
APA conferences and conventions are open to association members only – those who are in good standing and up-to-date with their member dues obligations. 

All attendees to an APA conference or convention are required to be registered, including exhibitors in the Resource Room.

Spouse and/or local guest registrations are available for non-industry individuals with no affiliation to the fireworks industry who may wish to attend social functions only. 

A non-member company representative is permitted to attend either a conference or convention 1 time as a prospective member in order to gain a better understanding of the association’s activities, programming, and networking opportunities provided that:

       1) They are “sponsored” by a current APA member in good standing. Please note: the current member sponsor
            is not required to pay the prospective members registration fees.

       2) The current member sponsor submits a written request to the Executive Director in advance and that the
            request is approved. 

       3) The prospective member submits registration paperwork and fees.

Members are encouraged to contact the APA staff ahead of time if they have a special circumstance so that we can work with you to find a solution. 

Cancellations
Registrations cancelled in writing on or before the stated cut-off deadline will be refunded in full less a $50 processing fee. 

Because of advanced head count commitments and other costs the APA incurs, refunds for registrations cancelled after the stated cut-off deadline will be considered on a case-by-case basis and only with the approval of the Executive Director.

Refunds will not be given for unused event tickets. 

Hotel
The APA strongly encourages meeting attendees to stay at the APA contracted hotel. This assists the association in meeting its requirements and avoiding any penalties. Members are responsible for making their own room reservations and cancellations.

Event Tickets
For the Winter Educational Conference, registration is all-inclusive and includes event tickets. Additional fees may be required for those participating in specialized training classes. 

For the fall convention, event tickets are required to attend social events. Attendees are strongly encouraged to purchase their tickets ahead of time to assist the APA staff and volunteers in providing accurate event headcounts to the hotel, many of which require final counts 4 days in advance.

On-site ticket sales may be available, however subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed. Any tickets sold on-site will carry a $10 surcharge. 

If an event is sold out due to room space and capacity limits, the membership will be notified before capacity is reached and given the opportunity to assess their possible ticket needs before the event is sold out. 

There will be no on-site meeting registration or tickets sales at the door of an event. If a member has a last minute need or special circumstance, the APA Executive Director should be contacted. 

Nametags/Badges
All attendees are required to wear their nametag/badge at all events, both business and social.

Nametag/Badge “swapping” or exchange with another person is not permitted.