Welcome to the AVA Summit DC 2024 event FAQ page.
Our FAQ below is broken down and organized by sections and intended to answer specific questions for AVA Summit DC 2024.
To learn more about our processes, visit our transparency page. To learn more about our policies and guidelines, head to our policies page. If you have a specific question, curiosity, or concern, please get in contact with us.
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Application Timelines and Decisions
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Applications for the AVA Summit US - DC 2024 term are closed as of 1/19/2024.
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Applications have closed as of 1/19/2024. The AVA Summit is still going through applications and verdicts. You can expect to hear back by February 20th, 2024.
Note: All applicants (approved and denied) will be given an attendee registration code that allows them to register at the lowest possible rate during the window in which your application was submitted. (For example, all applications submitted on/by January 10th at 11:59 pm ET will receive the Early Bird Discounted rate of $250. Applications submitted after this window will receive a discounted Standard registration code at the rate of $350.)
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Speaker applications are closed as of February 7, 2024.
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Verdicts began on January 20th, 2024, and will continue on a rolling basis as determined by our Advisory Committee. Expect a notification of your verdict between Jan 20, 2024, to mid-February.
Attendee Registration Questions
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Head over to our AVA Summit DC official event page. Hit the blue “Register to Attend” button on the top of that page to learn more, and register now.
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Programming begins at 9am on Thursday, May 16th. We strongly recommend arriving on Wednesday, May 15th to settle in and get some rest for a full day of programming ahead.
You will be able to check in beginning on Wednesday. There will be ample, clear signage directing you exactly where to go!
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All you need to do is bring yourself! We will have ample signage throughout the event venue directing you where to go. We will have clearly indicated registration check-in windows, where you will then come and check-in with one of the AVA team members. From there, you will receive your name badge and any other corresponding materials! Easy peasy.
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Yes! Your ticket includes:
-All Day Snacks & Refreshments [Thursday}
-Vegan Continental Breakfast [Friday, Saturday]
-Vegan Lunch [Friday, Saturday]
-Vegan Brunch [Sunday]
-Dinners not provided by the AVA Summit
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Unfortunately, as much as we’d like to, we’re not able to make exceptions. Early Bird pricing has come to an end as of 11:59pm ET on January 10th, 2024.
We have a discounted Standard rate available for those who qualify. To learn more about who qualifies, please visit our event registration page by heading to our AVA Summit DC official event page. Hit the blue “Register to Attend” button on the top of that page to learn more, and register now.
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Don’t worry! We are still going through our Travel Award applications and haven’t made all verdicts for the AVA Summit DC 2024 term as of yet. You can anticipate your verdict by February 10th, 2024.
If your application is rejected, we will email you a comp code along with your verdict so that you may still register at the lowest price point in which you submitted your application, as we know so many of our applicants have been patiently awaiting a response.
Example: If you submitted on/by January 10th, 11:59pm ET, you will receive a comp code to register at the Early Bird Discounted tier ($250). If you submitted after this window, you will receive a discount code to register at the Standard Discounted tier ($350).
Thank you for your patience!
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Companies have been known to solicit our participants and exhibitors with offers of lower rates or nonexistent inventory of hotel rooms. Often referred to as "housing pirates" or "housing bandits," they will phone or email participants and exhibitors of events such as The AVA Summit.
It is important to remember these companies are falsely claiming to be affiliated with the AVA Summit or AVA International. To protect yourself against these scams, book only using this housing link.
Please report any suspicious solicitations, including phone number, email address or web link to us via email, at: Info@AVASummit.com
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We honor refund requests received by April 25th, 2024, which is 3 weeks prior to the event start time. For help with processing refunds, please email Amie Albright (Communications Lead) directly at Amie@AVASummit.com
All other requests are reviewed case-by-case - email Amie Albright (Communications Lead) directly at Amie@AVASummit.com
The Eventbrite processing fee is non-refundable. Learn more here.
Exhibitor Registration Questions
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Head over to our exhibitor page to connect with our registration platform and more.
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Great question!
If you have not registered your booth yet, please add them as staffers during your registration process.If you have already registered for your booth, and the additional booth staffers were not included during the registration process, or have not registered yet, each can do so by registering at the "Standard Discounted" tier at the $350 price point, which is the price of adding staffers. Head to our DC event page, click the blue “Regiser to Attend” button to register now.
From there, Taylor Waters (Program and Partnerships Lead) will need to be notified so that she may tie these registration(s) to the exhibit table.
Please email her directly to notify her, and set this up, at: Taylor@AVASummit.com
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Just yourself, and your name! We will handle all the rest.
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Yes! Your ticket includes:
-All Day Snacks & Refreshments [Thursday}
-Vegan Continental Breakfast [Friday, Saturday]
-Vegan Lunch [Friday, Saturday]
-Vegan Brunch [Sunday]
-Dinners not provided by the AVA Summit
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Exhibitor registration and load-in begins at 2pm ET on Thursday, May 16th.
AVA asks to please prepare as needed to complete your setup by 6pm.
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Exhibitors can begin packing up and loading out by 2pm ET on May 19th, 2024.
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*Please keep note of your tracking number - if the hotel is looking for your package, that is how they will find it.
Ship to this address using this format:
Attn: Sales/Convention Services Guest Name - AVA Summit Hilton Alexandria Mark Center 5000 Seminary Rd Alexandria, VA 22311, United States
***Note: Due to the limited storage space, packages may be delivered to the Hotel three working days prior to the date of the function.
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The first 500 attendees will receive a swag bag at registration. If you are a Silver Sponsor or above or have otherwise arranged to include an item in our attendee Swag Bag, please make sure your swag items arrive by Tuesday, May 14th. We will build the bags on the 15th. Items received after the 14th are not guaranteed to be included in the bags.
Ship to this address using this format:
Attn: Sales/Convention Services
AVA SWAG - Your Org
Hilton Alexandria Mark Center
5000 Seminary Rd Alexandria, VA 22311, United States***Please keep note of your tracking number - if the hotel is looking for your package that is how they will find it.
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Incoming Packages are handled as follows:
—Express Envelopes are complementary and are held at the front desk.
—Packages/Boxes are charged at $6.00 each.
—Pallets are charged at $150.00 each.
—Cases/Crates are charged at $75.00 each.
Outgoing packages are handled as follows:
—Express Envelopes are complementary and can be sent from the front desk.
—Packages/Boxes are charged at $6.00 each.
—Pallets are charged at $150.00 each.
—Cases/Crates are charged at $75.00 each.
**Handling charges cannot be collected by the shipper’s account number; therefore, please pay handling charges with one of the following methods: cash, check, or credit card.
There is a printer if you need to print off labels, but there is no shipping office at the hotel. We recommend bringing pre-paid labels if possible and scheduling a pick-up with your shipping provider.
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Yes! Digi Quick Print. —
The AVA Summit has teamed up with a local print shop, Digi Quick Print, to offer you:
—a 10% discount on printing services
—free delivery to the hotel
—a go-to plan for any last-minute needs.
Save time, shipping costs, and carbon emissions by using our preferred printer!
To qualify for this deal, please contact both brian@digiqp.com and matt@digiqp.com and mention the AVA Summit.
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Peak exhibit hours will be during breaks and lunches.
We ask that a staffer be present at your table during peak exhibit hours, with the others being optional.
We encourage you to table any time from 8-5 PM on the 17-18th, and 8-2 PM on the 18th.
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Of course! All registered exhibitors/staffers are automatically accounted for in our food and beverage arrangements for all meals provided by the AVA Summit.
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Please note nothing can be affixed to the hotel walls. If you have signage, please come prepared with pipes or easels.
If you have further questions about setting up organizational materials in the exhibit hall, please contact the AVA Summit Event Manager, Amanda Cramer, for more information: Amanda@AVASummit.com
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If you purchased a WiFi/Power Upgrade, or are a Sponsor at any level, your A/V needs should be taken care of already!
Additional requests may result in charges from the hotel.
Please contact Amanda@AVASummit.com for all questions regarding WiFi, power, and AV concerns. Thank you!
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We honor refund requests received by April 25th, 2024, which is 3 weeks prior to the event start time. For help with processing refunds, please email Taylor Waters (Program and Partnerships Lead) directly at Taylor@AVASummit.com
All other requests are reviewed case-by-case - email Taylor Waters (Program and Partnerships Lead) directly at Taylor@AVASummit.com
The Eventbrite processing fee is non-refundable. Learn more here.
Travel and Planning Logistics
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The AVA Summit Hotel (Hilton Alexandria Mark Center) is sold out.
Book your room nearby our hotel using this secure booking link.
For any/all hotel related questions, please email Amanda Cramer (Event Manager) directly at Amanda@AVASummit.com
Please do not click or book with promo offers or emails that do not come directly from the AVA Summit team, social media, newsletter, or website. These are phishing attempts. The AVA Summit is not affiliated with any of these offers and they are not secure
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Yes! We have arranged discounted self-parking rates at $18 per day (down from $32).
How to secure this discount? Easy! If you are a guest under our block, you will automatically get it. If you are just driving in that day, you will have to confirm the price with us or the front desk. AVA will have an information/registration booth on-site where you can come to confirm this price with us as you check-in.
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Programming begins at 9am ET on Thursday, May 16th. You should plan to arrive by Wednesday evening of May 15th.
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Programming ends on Sunday, May 19th at 2:30pm ET, however there will be plenty of activities and meetups happening afterwards, so you may want to choose to stick around a bit longer to enjoy some fun with other advocates and activists from around the world!
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There are 3 convenient airports that service the area:
*DCA (Ronald Reagan Washington National) ~12 min (8.3 miles) from the AVA Hotel
*IAD (Dulles Airport) ~ 38 min (31.4 mi) from the AVA Hotel
*BWI (Baltimore Washington Airport) ~56 min (41.6 mi) from the AVA Hotel
We have arranged a free shuttle from DCA (Ronald Reagan Washington National) to the AVA Hotel - the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center. Look out for the sign “AVA Summit Hotel Shuttle”! The shuttle will run on the below schedule.
Arrivals Wednesday, May 15th – 12PM to 9PM
Arrivals Thursday, May 16th – 9AM to 9PM
Departures Sunday, May 19th – 9AM to 6PM
Departures Monday, May 20th – 9AM to 3PM
Guests arriving to DCA outside of these hours will need to arrange their own ground transportation. Guests arriving from IAD (Dulles Airport) and BWI (Baltimore Washington Airport) will need to arrange their own ground transportation. Check out the ride share featuring in the Whova app to share a ride with a fellow attendee.
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We have arranged a free shuttle from DCA (Ronald Reagan Washington National) to the AVA Hotel - the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center.
Look out for the sign “AVA Summit Hotel Shuttle”! The shuttle will run on the below schedule.
Arrivals Wednesday, May 15th – 12PM to 9PM
Arrivals Thursday, May 16th – 9AM to 9PM
Departures Sunday, May 19th – 9AM to 6PM
Departures Monday, May 20th – 9AM to 3PM
Guests arriving to DCA outside of these hours will need to arrange their own ground transportation.
***Important: Guests arriving from IAD (Dulles Airport) and BWI (Baltimore Washington Airport) will need to arrange their own ground transportation.
Check out the ride share featuring in the Whova app to share a ride with a fellow attendee. We will launch our Whova (event communications) app in early April and send you an invitation to join the platform at that time.)
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We’re gathering at the event venue Hilton Alexandria Mark Center located at:
5000 Seminary Rd, Alexandria, VA 22311. See you there!
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The AVA Summit is an immersive 3.5 day conference, taking place from May 16th through May 19th, 2024.
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Yes! We have tickets for kids, please bring them along! Kids from ages 0-3 are welcome free of charge, and kids 4-12 are welcome to register at a discounted rate. All other ticket rates apply for ages 13+
Head over to our registration page to get your kids registered now by clicking here. We look forward to welcoming you and your family!
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Though the Animal & Vegan Advocacy (AVA) Summit loves all animals of all sizes and types, we are unable to allow companion animals on site during our sessions, workshops, meals, etc., with the exception of verified service animals. In that case, please get in touch with us beforehand.
If you need to travel with your companion animal(s), you may correspond with the hotel venue on your own behalf, and arrange for the needs of you and your companion.
Should your companion accompany you during your stay, please respect our policy and refrain from bringing your companion to our scheduled sessions, workshops, meals, etc. In addition, please know that animals can not be left unattended in your room.
Thank you for your understanding!
If you have any questions or concerns, please email our Event Manager, Amanda Cramer, at Amanda@AVASummit.com
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Yes! We use Whova for all event communications. About a month and a half prior to the event (late March-early April) you will receive an invitation to join the AVA Summit Event space on Whova.
This email will arrive in the inbox of the same email you use(d) to register for your ticket.
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Not only are there vegan restaurants nearby, but we’ve partnered with Planted Society who has teamed up with local restaurants to provide AVA Summit attendees (you!) with delicious local discounted options at any time.
There will be fliers and posters onsite with all the information you’ll need!
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We have requested a feather-free room block. You can also note this when making your reservation. If you've already booked, you can update this in your Hilton Honors account, free to join.
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We understand that sometimes, certain questions, comments, or concerns can be more private by nature. We will do everything we can to best accomodate you. You are welcome to email the AVA Summit Executive Director, Julia Reinelt, with all such matters at Julia@AVASummit.com
If you prefer to remain anonymous, we have prepared this anonymous form for you to communicate your concerns, comments, and suggestions. Please provide as much information as you are able so we are empowered with enough knowledge to take actionable steps.
Thank you!
Program Related Questions
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Grantees Day is a new highlight at the AVA Summit taking place on Thursday, May 16th, 2024, inside of the AVA Summit Conference Hotel.
We’re organizing a more curated and efficient system for funders and grantees to meet at AVA. taking place on Thursday, May 16th, 2024 inside of the AVA Summit Conference Hotel.
AVA will then organize joint meetings for each organization to meet with all the funders who want to learn more about their work.
In addition to this, there will be Organized Meet-Up networking sessions for all attendees, including workshops and dedicated meetups.
***Food & Beverages provided by AVA!
How to register to attend/participate:
Grantee’s Day: Grantees Day is only for funders and grantees who went through Taylor Waters’s upcoming online process in March/April 2024. You must be registered for the AVA Summit DC. Taylor will contact your organization to inquire if your organization is interested in participating in Grantee’s Day, and will move forward with the process from there.
Organized Meetups: Simply register as an attendee to participate! Easy peasy.
Programing will begin at 9:00am on Thursday, May 16th. We highly recommend arriving the day before.
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We understand that sometimes, certain questions, comments, or concerns can be more private by nature. We will do everything we can to best accomodate you. You are welcome to email the AVA Summit Executive Director, Julia Reinelt, with all such matters at Julia@AVASummit.com
If you prefer to remain anonymous, we have prepared this anonymous form for you to communicate your concerns, comments, and suggestions. Please provide as much information as you are able so we are empowered with enough knowledge to take actionable steps.
Thank you!
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The program agenda is not yet complete. We will begin to announce the final sessions and speakers beginning on February 1st! We will announce this in our newsletter, across social media, as well as link it here as soon as it becomes available for public viewing.
Dietary Restrictions and Requests
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Yes, all meals provided by the AVA Summit during AVA Summit DC are 100% vegan.
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Not only are there vegan restaurants nearby, but we’ve partnered with Planted Society who has teamed up with local restaurants to provide AVA Summit attendees (you!) with delicious local discounted options at any time.
There will be fliers and posters onsite with all the information you’ll need!
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You’re able to include this in the form you must fill out during your registration process. If you’ve already submitted your form and/or you prefer to communicate this directly, please email our Event Manager, Amanda Cramer, at Amanda@AVASummit.com - Thank you!
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We want to be sure to incorporate your needs into our Food and Beverage arrangement with the venue!
Please email our Event Manager, Amanda Cramer, at Amanda@AVASummit.com ASAP so she can ensure your needs and requests are tended to as best she can. Thank you!
Is the answer to your question not found above? Please get in touch with us.