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Headline, April 25, 2006
Countdown to
WASHINGTON 2006
The design of the
stamp dealer booths at WASHINGTON 2006 are state-of-the-art.
The Washington 2006 world philatelic exhibition is now just weeks
away, taking place May 27-June 3 at the Washington DC Convention Center.
Final preparations are in the works to make this once-a-decade event a
must-see. The DC Convention Center is a huge facility three city blocks long and
several stories high. Washington 2006 takes place in the lowest level
of the building in halls A, B and C. The main entrance to the Center
is on Mt. Vernon Place between 7th and 9th Street. Visitors will find
show registration inside this center entrance on the left.
It is not too late to reserve powered scooters (at $50 per day) or
wheelchairs (at $25 per day) to ease your way around. A limited
number of each is available for daily rental or for the entire 8 days
of Washington 2006 on a first-come basis. Call Scootaround, Inc.
toll-free at 1-888-441-7575 for information and reservations. Visa
and Master Card are accepted.
Exhibition registration and badge pickup begins on Friday, May 26 at
8:30 AM at the Convention Center in the Mt. Vernon Lobby. Badges may
be picked up any day of the exhibition and are valid for all days.
Volunteers are asked to check-in immediately after registering at the
Volunteer Room directly behind the registration area. Walk-in
volunteers able to assist show operations anytime that day or at other
times are encouraged to make their availability know on arrival.
Additional volunteers are especially welcome from Wednesday, May 24 at
noon through Friday evening for setup, as well Saturday evening, June
3 through Monday evening, June 5 for takedown.
The time of the start of the opening ceremony on Saturday, May 27 is
now 9:30 AM instead of 10 AM, and will last one hour. It will
incorporate the first day ceremony for the U.S. Postal Service's
release of the "Wonders of America" issue that was originally
scheduled later in the day. Washington 2006 officially opens after
the ceremony at 10:30 AM.
Still or video photography of the Court of Honor and invited exhibits
is strictly prohibited. Competitive exhibits may be photographed only
with the permission of the exhibitor or his/her representative (most
usually the exhibitor's National Commissioner) and then without the
use of flash or strobe. Tripods may only be used by permission in
designated areas which do not impede pedestrian traffic. Visitors are
welcome and encouraged to take photographs or videos of other
displays, activities and events unless directed otherwise.
The American Stamp Dealers Association is sponsoring a "What's in Your
Attic" service all 8 days of the show for casual collectors and the
public. Experts will review not only stamps and stamp-bearing
envelopes and documents, but other ephemera collectibles such as
postcards, trade cards, stock and bond certificates, etc. and give an
approximate value for them. Of course, with nearly 200 dealers from
around the world just around the corner, opportunities to sell your
items abound.
The show catalog is being sold for $15 for advance orders or $20 at
the event. The 300+ page spiral-bound color catalog contains three
free souvenir sheets exclusively available with its purchase from
Liberia, the Marshall Islands and Sierra Leone. A limited production
run of only 8,000 catalogs is scheduled be printed. Order yours now
to avoid disappointment. Catalogs may be picked up in person after
registration, or they will be mailed after the exhibition's
conclusion.
Did you know you could apply for a U.S. passport during your visit to
Washington 2006? The Postal Service will have staff available to
assist with the process and paperwork. Applicants should have the
following: Proof of Citizenship: original documents only (e.g.,
certified Birth Certificate, a previous passport, a certificate of
citizenship, or a Naturalization certificate); Proof of Identity
(e.g., current driver's license, government ID or military ID); and
two recent identical passport photographs. Photos can be taken
on-site at time of presentation. The fees for a passport total $112
for adults, with separate payments of $45 to the U.S. Postal Service
(for photo and passport acceptance, payable in any format) with the
balance due to the U.S. State Department by cash or check.
Looking for help with finding a restaurant for yourself or a group of
friends? Washington 2006 has contracted with Convention Concierge to
provide the on-site services of Dining DC from Friday, May 26 through
Thursday, June 1. From now until show opening, Dining DC can assist
with arrangements for society dinners, or any other group or
individual requests. For more information, contact Janice at
703-933-9012.
Tickets remain for the Washington 2006 Palmares dinner being held on
Friday, June 2. They are $200 each and may be purchased online or by
writing to Washington 2006 and forwarding a check. The event is black
tie-optional. They will also be available while supplies last at the
APS booth during the show.
Washington 2006 members will have received the final exhibition
souvenir card prior to the show. This fourth in the series card
features the Capitol dome vignette in black with a purple stamp frame
in the style of the 1894 U.S. definitive issue. Members whose
staggered pledges extend beyond September 2006 are asked to make final
payments before or during Washington 2006 to enable the exhibition to
close its financial books as early as possible.
The list of youth-related special appearances continues to grow.
Postman Pat(r), star of the long-running British TV series, comes to
the US for the first time as he visits Washington 2006, courtesy of
Entertainment Rights Plc. Also coming is Ranger Rick(r) from the
National Wildlife Federation(r), who for 35 years has explored nature
and wildlife with children in the U.S. and abroad. Mr. Zip of the
USPS will join these characters in presenting hands-on activities for
kids most show days, as will Ben Franklin. Appearance schedules can
be found on the Washington 2006 youth page. Don't forget that Disney
characters plan to be there for a day of fun on Friday, June 12.
The generous gift of 1,000 exhibit frames from the Royal Philatelic
Society of Canada being used for exhibits at Washington 2006 will have
new life at the show's conclusion, as they will be donated to FIAF,
the federation of the Caribbean, North, South and Central American
philatelic societies.
A number of the A-frames being used for competitive exhibits will be
available for sale at $125 each through the American Philatelic
Society. Individual parts and hardware are also being offered. A
complete pricelist is online, or can be requested by email to
kpmartin@stamps.org.
For full information about Washington 2006, including an up-to-date
schedule of meetings, seminars, and first day ceremonies, go online to
http://www.washington-2006.org, or write to Washington 2006, PO Box
2006, Ashburn, VA 20146-2006. Questions may also be emailed to
info@washington-2006.org.
Links to items mentioned in this story:
Show Catalog/Palmares Tickets/Souvenirs:
https://www.stamps.org/washington2006/orderform.htm
Scooter/wheelchair rentals:
http://www.scootaround.com/rentals/wpe/
Volunteering:
http://admin.washington-2006.org/volunteer_mt_upd.php
What's in Your Attic:
http://www.washington-2006.org/wattic.htm
Youth Activities:
http://www.washington-2006.org/wyouth.htm
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