ARARA 2025 Conference

High Level Agenda

• Thursday May 22: Board meeting/Registration
• Friday May 23: Field trips/Reception/Registration/Rock art documentation workshop/Vendor setup/Awards
• Saturday May 24: Presentations/Registration/Committee meetings
• Sunday May 25: Presentations/Banquet/Committee Meetings
• Monday May 26: Field trips
• Tuesday May 27: Field trips
  

Registration will take place at the Visalia Conference Center which is attached to the Marriott hotel outside of the conference room.

Workshops: We are planning three different workshops for the conference.

Larry Loendorf will be doing a half-day Rock Art Recording Workshop on Friday morning (8:00 a.m. to noon). In this workshop you can expect a comprehensive experience from dealing with logistics at the beginning of a project, basic survey and mapping, photographic techniques, measured drawing, chemical analyses and age estimation, lab analysis, and preparing a site report.
The cost for the workshop is $25 which will provide you with the book associated with the workshop.

Dave Robinson and his students will be presenting a Virtual Reality Workshop on Pleito Cave (Wind Wolves Preserve) on Friday afternoon and Monday afternoon.

Jennifer Malone (Wukchumni/Yokut elder) will do a weaving workshop with a weaving demonstration and talk Monday morning.


Most field trips will depart at 8:00 a.m on each of Friday, Monday, and Tuesday. You can register for two field trips. There are a few exceptions which are noted. Please see the field trip page for details on the trips.

Awards reception: Friday evening at the Convention Center.

Presentations will take place Saturday and Sunday at the Convention Center starting at 8:00 a.m. For those of you who are unable to travel to Visalia but are interested in the presentations we will offer an online conference registration.

Committee meetings are on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 2:00 p.m. You don't have to be a member of a committee to attend their meeting. When you register you can indicate an interest in any of our committees and we will follow-up with locations. Generally speaking, you won't have time to attend more than two committee meetings.

Vendors: Barbara Anne am Ende will chair the Vendor Room for the ARARA Conference in Visalia, May 23-26, 2025. Deadline for vendor applications is April 20. The Vendor Room will be open to ARARA 2025 Conference attendees only on Saturday, May 24, and Sunday, May 25, 2025. Barbara will be the primary pre-conference contact. We will have a lot more information on the vendor registration page.

Banquet:
Our keynote speaker will be Ed Krupp (Director of the Griffith Observatory and ARARA member).

E.C. Krupp is an astronomer and a member of ARARA. Since 1973, he has been active internationally in the study of ancient, prehistoric, and traditional astronomy and on the relationship between astronomy and culture. He is the author and editor/editor of six books on this subject and has published dozens of research papers and hundreds of articles. He has received several prominent awards for public astronomy from the American Institute of Physics, the American Astronomical Society, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, Pomona College, and other astronomical and civic organizations. He has personally visited, studied, and photographed nearly 2200 ancient, historic, and prehistoric sites throughout the world, including darkest California.

His presentation is titled: "Are They Stars?"  We are pattern-seeking creatures, and the apparently symbolic nature of rock art has invited astronomical interpretations of cupule arrangements, dot patterns, and other figures as stars, constellations, and maps of the sky. This offers an opportunity for critical review. What is a star pattern, and how can we tell?

Banquet Meals: How can we have a banquet without some food? We'll have four food options available: Chicken Masala, Marinated Grilled Flank Steak, Lemon Dill Salmon, or Caprese Portabello Vegan/Gluten Free. The cost will be $50 for any choice.

Marriott Hotel
The conference will take place at the Convention Center in downtown Visalia, adjacent to the Marriott Courtyard. We will have room rates at this location along with other nearby hotels. The Marriott location can be found here. 300 South Court, Visalia, California  559-636-1111  Rooms are available with an ARARA rate. Use this link to register.

The Mariott charges for parking, including their outdoor parking. If you don't mind a short walk you can park for free across the street at the City of Visalia parking garage.

We have additional rooms across the street at the Comfort Inn. Call 559-738-1700 and ask for the ARARA rate.