Convention

Join us!

Every two years the Michigan Inland Lakes Convention brings together lake enthusiasts, researchers, managers, and educators. The Convention is hosted by the Michigan Inland Lakes Partnership, a collaboration of diverse organizations with a common mission to advance stewardship of Michigan's inland lakes. We invite you to join us Grand Rapids, October 2-4, 2024, to learn and share the latest innovations and ideas in lake stewardship and to network with others who share your passion for lakes. Convening in partnership this year with the Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps), our statewide volunteer lake and stream monitoring program, this year’s theme is “Working Together for Healthy Lakes”.

The 2024 Convention venue is the Sheraton Grand Rapids Airport Hotel.

In preparing for the Convention, our planning committee realized that this event overlaps with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year celebration. Our team understands that the celebration is a time for family and friends to gather together for meals and fellowship. We also acknowledge that some may take time off from work and other activities to observe this holidays and be unable to attend the Convention. For more information about this celebration, you can follow this link: Rosh Hashanah Celebration. Next time, we intend for our event to not overlap with this celebration.

Agenda

The Convention will kick off with an Opening Reception the evening of Wednesday, October 2, followed by two full days of presentations, workshops, and networking opportunities on Thursday and Friday, October 3 and 4.

View the Draft Agenda

Registration

Convention registration is open! All attendees, including speakers, are expected to register and pay the appropriate fees. Registration will close September 24 at midnight. (If the registration button below does not work for you, please try again later).

Registration rates are as follows:

Full Convention (includes opening reception Wednesday evening, and full program Thursday and Friday, including meals and breaks): $225, increasing to $250 after August 30. Students are eligible for a $25 discount.
One Day Registration (Thursday or Friday): $150, increasing to $175 after August 30.

Student Scholarships

If you are a student interested in attending the Convention, consider applying for a Student Scholarship. The Michigan Inland Lakes Partnership is offering one or more scholarships of $400 to help offset the costs associated with registration, travel, and lodging. If selected, you will be recognized for this award at the Convention and will receive a check for $400 from the Partnership at that time. Learn more and apply by clicking the button below.

Apply for a Student Scholarship

Lodging

The 2024 Convention venue is the Sheraton Grand Rapids Airport Hotel. Overnight lodging is available at the Convention group rate of $149/night. The last day to book and receive the group rate is September 2, 2024.

Reserve a Hotel Room

Call for Sponsors and Exhibitors

The call for sponsors and exhibitors is open! Your support helps keep prices reasonable for all participants, allows us to offer student scholarships, and is excellent exposure for your business or organization. Download our Sponsorship and Exhibitor Opportunities packet for details. Opportunities close August 2, 2024.

Download the Sponsorship and Exhibitor Opportunities Packet

Additional Convention Information

Continuing Education Credits

We will be applying for a variety of Continuing Education Credits for interested attendees. In the past we have been able to offer a variety of options, including Pesticide Applicator Recertification credits from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Convention Contacts

You are welcome to direct any questions you have about the Convention to the event Co-Chairs: Jo Latimore of Michigan State University Extension or Julia Kirkwood of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.

We also invite you to stay in touch with the Michigan Inland Lakes Partnership by joining our email list, and following us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or Instagram.

2024 Convention Sponsors

We thank our generous sponsors for supporting the Michigan Inland Lakes Convention. Their contributions are helping advance stewardship of our inland lakes through learning, network, and exchange of ideas. With their support, we can offer an outstanding program, keep prices reasonable, and offer student scholarships and discounts. We invite you to visit our sponsors by clicking on their logos below.