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Guidelines for Hosting an
ACA Convention
Introduction
Thank you for your interest in hosting an American Cichlid Association (ACA) convention. These guidelines have been written to help you and your club, prepare, write and submit a competitive convention proposal for the ACA Board of Trustees (BOT). They are somewhat flexible and almost all items can be negotiated for almost any situation. They have been designed to insure that hosting an ACA convention will bring many benefits to both the ACA and your club.
Club Benefits
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Hosting a convention requires significant effort but offers substantial rewards. Clubs have historically earned up to $6,000, with strong potential to grow local membership since all attendees must belong to the host club or the ACA.
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Remaining tanks, filters, and supplies can be sold to members at cost, and auctions feature rare fish unavailable elsewhere. Members with fish to sell benefit from access to the largest auction of its kind.
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Above all, hosting a convention brings pride in showcasing your club and region to the broader ACA community.
Your Club
Host clubs do not need to be cichlid-only; many successful conventions are run by general aquarium societies. With multiple bids each year, proposals should clearly highlight the club’s strengths to the BOT.
Hosting requires significant volunteer effort. Clubs of about 50 members can manage a convention, though smaller, highly active clubs have succeeded. The workload can be demanding.
Clubs must be financially sound and submit a financial report. The BOT values strong organization and accurate record-keeping.
Prior event experience is important; the ACA convention is not the place for a club’s first major event.
Advance planning is critical. Conventions are awarded up to two years in advance, and clubs must have the personnel and technical capacity to handle online publicity and registration.
Getting Started
Most clubs already manage speakers, fish shows, raffles, and auctions at regular meetings. These same volunteers can often expand their roles to support a convention. Begin by announcing your club’s interest in hosting an ACA Convention through a club publication, followed by a presentation at a general meeting to gauge member interest. If interest exists, appoint a convention chair and committee to assess feasibility and coordinate planning. The first major step is securing a suitable venue and date based on availability. Conventions are commonly held in summer but are not limited to that season, and typically run from Thursday or Friday through Sunday. After the venue is set, arrange speakers, tanks for the show, and staff for the auction. While the process is more complex, these steps provide a starting framework. Attending an ACA convention is strongly recommended to understand how they are typically run. It is recommended that your club start by writing an article for your club publication, announcing that your club is considering hosting an ACA Convention. This should be followed-up with a presentation at a general meeting to determine if there is any interest from the membership. Interested parties can then start by appointing a convention chair to start putting all of the people and things together. The chair should then appoint a committee from the volunteers to assist the chair in determining the feasibility of your club hosting a convention. If your club is ready, then the first thing you need to do is find a suitable place to hold the convention. Once a place is found then a date needs to be determined based on the hotel’s availability. Typically, conventions have been held during the summer but bids will not be restricted to only those months. Conventions usually run from Thursday or Friday to Sunday. Once a place has been established then you need to get some speakers for presentations, some tanks for the show and some help to run the big auction. Of course it is much more complicated than this, but this will get you started and thinking about what kind of convention you want to have. It would be very helpful if the members of your club actually attend a convention to observe how they are typically run.
The Hotel
When selecting a hotel, consider the needs of out-of-town attendees—most will fly. Look for hotels near a major airport with free or reasonably priced shuttle service and free parking for drivers. The hotel should accommodate at least 400 people in a theater-style auditorium and 300 for the awards banquet, with additional rooms for the fish show, trade show, and specialty clubs. Room block needs typically include about 150 rooms Wednesday, 225 Thursday, and 250 each on Friday and Saturday. Rates should be per room (up to four occupants). Negotiate one free room night per 40 booked to house speakers and reduce costs. All required meeting spaces should be included at no extra charge. Banquet planning should offer menu choices; buffets have become popular. Ensure room rates extend through Sunday or Monday for attendees staying for the auction, with Sunday nights counting toward free-room credits. Communicate clearly with hotel management about convention needs (e.g., aquariums, fish bags). Compare hotels to secure competitive rates and plan for overflow accommodations if needed. Once rates are confirmed, discuss any additional attendee charges with the ACA Convention Liaison.
Local Tours
Many attendees will be from out of town and may be interested in local attractions, both aquarium-related and general tourist sites. Consider organizing optional tours to public aquariums, wholesalers, specialty shops, or notable local destinations. Revenue from these tours belongs to the host club and does not need to be shared with the ACA, unless offered as an incentive in your bid.
Cichlid Show
An ACA convention must include a cichlid show. Tank numbers depend on entries, but about 200 tanks—mostly 10-gallon—is typical. Entries may be capped if tank space is limited. Tanks must be set up before the convention, properly filtered, and placed on stable stands. Entry fees should be reasonable, with sponsors sought to offset trophy costs. Judging criteria are set by the host club. Trophies are awarded for 1st–3rd place in each class, plus Best of Division and Best in Show.
Speakers
Select speakers who are both engaging and informative. Most talks should focus on cichlids, with a few general aquarium topics acceptable. Speaker compensation is negotiable and should be agreed upon before confirmation. Coordinate meeting times and rooms for study groups; all participants must be registered, and meetings are open to all attendees. Consider local speakers and seek vendor or manufacturer sponsorships to reduce costs.
The Auction
The auction is a major fundraiser and is typically held mid-morning on the final day. Registered attendees may buy and sell; non-registered attendees may buy only. All items must be approved by the auction chair. Fish should be cichlids unless otherwise approved. Auction splits and bag fees must be announced in advance, and profits are shared between the two clubs.
The Trade Show
Designate a room for vendors and manufacturers, providing reasonably priced booth space. Each 10×10 booth should include a table and two chairs. Schedule trade show hours to align with speaker sessions and tour returns. Profits are shared between the two clubs.
The Raffle
Sell raffle tickets for donated dry goods from vendors and local stores. Profits are split evenly between the two clubs.
Sales
Convention-related T-shirts are sold at a profit shared between the clubs. Host club merchandise profits are retained by the host club. Filters and rental/show tanks sold after the convention will have profits split between the clubs.
Program Booklet
A booklet should be provided to inform registrants of the schedule of events. Selling ad space in the booklet will offset costs. Both clubs will share any profit.
Conclusion
These guidelines are intended to help you begin your convention bid. ACA Convention Liaisons are available for assistance and can be contacted through the addresses listed in each BB. Bids are typically submitted up to two years in advance. Clubs are encouraged to attend a convention to gain firsthand experience. A separate bank account should be established for the convention, and start-up loans of up to $500 may be requested from the ACA. A proposed timeline and job descriptions follow to help meet deadlines and delegate responsibilities.
Timeline for the Convention
These guidelines provide a starting point for your convention bid. ACA Convention Liaisons are available to assist and can be contacted through the addresses listed in each BB. Bids are typically submitted up to two years in advance. Clubs are encouraged to attend a convention beforehand. Establish a separate convention bank account; start-up loans of up to $500 may be requested from the ACA. A proposed timeline and job descriptions follow to support planning and task delegation.
Months Before
31–30 Months Before Announce interest in hosting a convention through a club publication and general meeting. Gauge member interest and recruit volunteers. 27 Months Before Form committees and research feasibility. 25 Months Before Decide whether to proceed. If yes, begin searching for a suitable hotel. 22–21 Months Before Select a hotel and prepare the bid package. Submit it to the ACA Convention Liaison for review and revision before BOT consideration. 19 Months Before BOT awards the convention. If successful, confirm hotel, side trips, pricing, and begin flyer development. 17–13 Months Before Finalize flyers, printing, and banquet presentation details. Distribute flyers at the current ACA Convention. 12 Months Before Attend the current convention for insight. Network with vendors and manufacturers, secure trade show space, sponsorships, and donations. Deliver a brief (≤5-minute) awards banquet presentation. 10 Months Before Consult with the previous host club for advice and attendance data. 6 Months Before Launch the convention website and registration materials. Submit a one-page ad to BB. Begin outreach to vendors and sponsors. 5 Months Before Mail registration forms, post flyers locally, solicit raffle donations, and finalize T-shirt orders. 1 Month Before Send press releases. Close early registration and show entries.
Convention Week
WEDNESDAY Show setup Registration opens (6:00 PM) Guy Jordan fish pickup and storage Show/rental rooms and bulletin board open (6:00 PM) Trade show setup THURSDAY AM Registration opens one hour before first tour Side trips Trade show opens PM Speakers Jordan Auction BOT meeting Late Hospitality suite Study groups FRIDAY AM Registration opens one hour before first tour Side trips Trade show opens PM Speakers Jordan Auction Judging Late Hospitality suite Study groups SATURDAY AM Registration opens one hour before first speaker Speakers Trade show opens PM Trade show closes Jordan Auction Cash bar Awards banquet Late Hospitality suite SUNDAY AM Auction registration and auction Fish room teardown Tank and filter sales
Convention Leadership Roles
ACA Convention Liaison ACA contact who assists with bid preparation and convention planning. Handles questions related to the bid or event. Contact information is listed in the Buntbarsche Bulletin. Convention Chair Leads the convention, oversees committees, and serves as the primary contact with the hotel. Publicity Chair Manages local and national promotion, including flyers, posters, mailings, ads, and media outreach. ACA Convention Treasurer Maintains the convention’s separate bank account, collects income, pays expenses, and keeps receipts. Speaker Chair Coordinates all speaker logistics, including scheduling, travel, accommodations, and on-site support. Trade Show Room Chair Recruits vendors, assigns booth space, coordinates utilities, assists with setup, and solicits donations or sponsorships. Cichlid Show Chair Plans and manages show setup, operations, security, and teardown. Oversees tanks, filtration, labeling, and Sunday breakdown. Rental Tank Room Chair Handles setup, labeling, rentals, payments, and teardown of rental tanks, including housing Guy Jordan auction fish. Registration Chair Manages pre-registration, assembles packets, staffs the registration table, and oversees on-site check-in and merchandise sales. Guy Jordan Silent Auction Chair Arranges airport pickup, transport, tanking, and silent auction of donated fish. Awards Chair Designs, orders, and prepares all show awards for presentation at the banquet. Tour Guides Chair Assigns guides for each tour to manage attendance, tickets, and issues. Hospitality Suite Chair Maintains the hospitality suite, manages food and beverages, controls noise and behavior, and seeks sponsorships. Club Sales Table Chair Oversees sales of host club merchandise and secures inventory. Raffle Chair Organizes raffle items and sells tickets during the convention. Auction Chair Manages Sunday auction setup, fish check-in, auctioneers, and runners.