Your invited to—Minneapolis: PSA International Conference of Photography The Thunderbird Hotel and Convention Center Bloomington, Minnesota September 6-11, 2004

PSA Journal, Feb, 2004 by Gerald H. Emmerich, Jr.

The Minneapolis/St. Paul Twin Cities, located along the banks of the Mississippi River, and suburban Bloomington, the location of the Thunderbird Hotel and Convention Center, offer a wide variety of urban and natural attractions as the setting for out 2004 conference in Minnesota.

Minneapolis, the namesake for the 2004 conference with its big-city skyscrapers and its mighty rolling river, awaits your visit. Downtown Minneapolis offers the best of many different worlds--a distinctive skyline, restaurants, Broadway theaters, sports arenas, and a pedestrian-only boulevard. The Minneapolis Riverfront District offers a chance to go back to the city's beginnings. The scenic, self-guided St. Anthony Falls Heritage Trail takes visitors down a stretch of the Minneapolis Riverfront with historic landmarks and unique shops. The James J. Hill Historic Stone Arch Bridge is a frequent subject for photographers and painters. Mill Ruins Park, Hennepin Bluffs Park, and Boom Island Park also offer great access for photographing the Minneapolis skyline and its historic Riverfront District. The campus of the University of Minnesota. featuring the unusual architecture of the Weisman Art Museum, is also centered on the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Even in a state of 10,000 lakes, Minneapolis has more than its share. Uptown Minneapolis, with its Chain of Lakes, including Lake Calhoun, Lake Harriet, and Lake of the Isles, offers walking and bicycle trails through interesting ethnic neighborhoods and shops.

Monday, September 6th, a day-long Twin Cities Highlights tour will provide a stop for photos and "lunch on your own" at Nicollet Mail iii downtown Minneapolis, a photo stop at the Riverfront District parks, and also at the Weisman Art Museum. In addition we'll stop at the State Capitol, the Cathedral of St. Paul, and Minnehaha Falls. Monday evening, a riverboat dinner cruise will depart from the Minneapolis Riverfront

District.

St. Paul. Minnesota's capital city, has its own distinctive character, with the historic Landmark Center building, Rice Park, and the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, in addition to the State Capitol and the Cathedral of St. Paul. St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center is home to the NHL's Minnesota Wild hockey team and is a venue for many concerts and special events. On the bluffs of the Mississippi in St. Paul, the Science Museum of Minnesota offers the first convertible dome "Ommitheater" in the United States and a 3-D Multimedia Laser Theater.

The Mississippi River threads its way through Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Bloomington, and along its banks is the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, a 34-mile long corridor of marsh, grassland, and forest with a birding trail just minutes away from the Thunderbird. Also, so close that we don't need to have organized photo tours, are Fort Snelling, an historic fort with costumed guides; Hyland Lake Park Reserve, a 1,000 acre nature sanctuary; and the authentic Japanese Garden at Normandale Community College.

Northwoods scenery is at its best at the state of Minnesota's eastern border, which is formed by Lake Superior, the St. Croix River. and the Mississippi River. Scenic natural beauty is preserved in two state parks Interstate Park and Wild River State Park. In addition, Minnesota's historic lake and river cities, including Hastings, Redwing, Stillwater, and Duluth offer great photo opportunities.

Our Tuesday, September 7th photo tour should offer plenty of opportunities for photos of historic and natural interest. We'll get a great view of the glacial rock formations along the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway on our morning cruise from Taylor Falls. In the afternoon, we'll be on our own for lunch in Stillwater, the birthplace of Minnesota, where there will be plenty of time for photos of the many historic landmarks.

Our conference activities from Wednesday, September 8th through Saturday, September 11th will be centered at the Thunderbird Hotel and Convention Center in Bloomington, Minnesota. The Thunderbird is located al Interstate 494, Exit 2A between the Mall of America to the south and the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport across I-494 to the north. The Thunderbird has parking for 550 vehicles and offers a free shuttle to the Mall of America and a free shuttle to and from the airport.

Mark your calendar to attend the 2004 PSA International Conference of Photography September 6th-11th and look for the conference registration information in the April PSA Journal.

We'll see you at the Thunderbird Hotel and Convention Center, 2201 E. 78th Street, Bloomington, Minnesota 55425.

Gerald H. Emmerich, Jr., FPSA, EPSA PSA Conventions Vice President