The Illinois State Al-Anon Convention is a key event to celebrate recovery in the Al-Anon/Alateen fellowship. It is a yearly event for Al-Anon, Alateen and AA members. Families, friends or anyone wishing to learn more about these programs are welcome to attend as well. All Al-Anon and AA meetings are “open,” meaning anyone can attend them. All Alateen meetings are “closed” meetings, meaning only Alateen members can attend.

The convention is supported by two Areas, Southern and Northern Illinois Al-Anon Family Groups. Each Area takes a turn hosting the convention each year. This year’s convention is hosted by Southern Illinois Al-Anon Family Groups. The hosting committee selects the convention site within their Area and plans the details of the event. Often, members from both Areas volunteer their services during the convention, making the event more unified between the two Areas.

Although Al-Anon may participate in AA events with Al-Anon participation, this is the only event hosted exclusively by Al-Anon at the Area level. This makes the convention a unique celebration with a wide participation of members. All members, from both Southern and Northern Illinois AFG are encouraged to attend.

All attendees are invited to attend the four plenary* sessions together Friday night, Saturday afternoon and evening (following the banquet), and Sunday afternoon. All are welcome at Music Bingo after the Saturday banquet and speaker, too!

Apart from the plenary* sessions, three distinct tracks of meetings will be offered: AA, Al-Anon, and Alateen. You can expect these meetings to be similar to your home group, with a designated volunteer** leading the meeting with a brief share, then opening the meeting up to open sharing by participants.

Before and between sessions, we encourage you to stop by the Archive display, to learn Al-Anon history; the Literature display, to buy or swap Al-Anon literature; the Basket Raffle and Quilt Raffle to buy tickets to win great gifts and an amazing quilt; and the Hospitality Room, to mingle with old and new friends over a cup of coffee, a snack, or a board game. Be sure to stop by the Hospitality Room on Friday night after the first plenary session for Hope Floats, aka root beer and ice cream!

Meals will be on your own, except for the banquet, which costs $50 above your convention registration fee, but which we hope all will attend. The hotel has the on-site Riverside Café open for lunch and dinner, with patio seating and outside or private dining. Breakfast is included for hotel guests. Steps away from the hotel are Steak ‘n’ Shake and Logan’s Roadhouse for steaks, ribs, and chicken. Within five minutes’ drive or a short walk away are Los Charros, Chili’s and Texas Roadhouse. Yelp’s Top 10 restaurants nearby include The Blue Duck Barbecue Tavern, Thyme Kitchen and Craft Beer, Ardor Bread and Provisions, Holy Crab, Rhythm Kitchen Music Cafe, Eggcelent Cafe, Saffron Social, Ulrich’s Rebellion Room, Sugar Wood Fired Bistro, and One World.

*plenary is Latin for full or complete. Plenary sessions are for everyone attending the convention. Smaller groups (AA, Al-Anon, Alateen) stop working apart and join in the main room.

**Volunteers are still needed for meeting leads. If you would like to do service for your fellow convention attenders in this way, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Dana Markham at iarefree4@yahoo.com.