Schedule of Events*

Through the weekend: Sea-bean collections and displays, experts, sea-bean polishing, the famous Bean-O-Matic, jewelry, T-shirts, slide-shows, speakers, books, authors, international guests, raffle and contests (including the ever popular “ODD-BEAN” contest, and the Saturday morning “BEAN-A-THON” beachcombing bonanza!)

We are pleased to announce that marine biologist and sea turtle researcher Dr. Blair Witherington, from Melbourne Beach, Florida will be this year’s keynote speaker. Blair and his wife Dawn are the authors of the newly published Florida’s Living Beaches (Pineapple Press, 2007) which is a guide to anything and everything you may encounter on Florida’s beaches, featuring not only sea-beans, but also shells, fish, plants, birds, and even the “green flash!” Blair will highlight Florida’s beaches with a Power Point presentation on Saturday night entitled Florida’s Beaches are Alive! Blair and Dawn will also be available all weekend long with copies of their books; this is a must have folks, so stop by and get your copy autographed!

Natural history writers and books will be available through the weekend. Krieger Publishing Company will be pleased to once again present Sea-Beans from the Tropics: A Collector’s Guide to Sea-Beans and Other Tropical Drift on Atlantic Shores, by Perry/Dennis (2003). Ed Perry will be on-hand to sign copies. Krieger will also have the reprint edition of the World Guide to Tropical Drift Seeds and Fruits. The ever-popular The Little Book of Sea-Beans will also be available, and co-author Paul Mikkelsen will be present to sign copies. Jim Angy, Marge Bell and Matt McQueen of Still Nature Productions will be offering their digital books including some new titles. This year we will again also make available for sale Cathie Katz’ beautifully written and illustrated The Nature of Florida’s…...series.

Thursday, October 18^th (3-5pm)

Everyone is invited to the main conference room at the Cocoa Beach Public Library for an informal get-together and introduction, discussion of symposium plans, and to set up displays for the weekend. We need lots of help setting up tables, chairs, and displays, so please feel free to donate time and suggestions. At 6pm those interested can meet at Roberto’s Little Havana Restaurant (1/2 mile south of the library at 26 N. Orlando Ave.—this place has GREAT Cuban food, and has become a Symposium tradition).

Friday, October 19^th (9am-5pm)

Displays and collections open to the public all day, free, from 9am to 5pm. Enter your seeds for the ODD-BEAN contest.

11 to 11:45am: Beginners’ Beachwalking (slide show) by Sebastian Inlet State Park Ranger Ed Perry.

2 to 2:45pm: What’s Floating Our Oceans This Year?! by Dr. Curtis Ebbesmeyer

3 to 3:30pm: An Interview with Cathie Katz by Paul Mikkelsen; Who are the Drifters?, and memories of our founder.

5pm: The library closes; meet for dinner at Anacapri (This great restaurant is just east of the library in walking distance).

Saturday, October 20^th (8am-9pm)

Displays and collections open to the public all day, free, from 9am to 9pm. Enter your seeds for the ODD-BEAN contest.

8 to 10am: Bean-A-Thon 2007—You are on your own; don’t come to the library first if you participate. Collect sea-beans and or toys/trash on any beach between Canaveral National Seashore and Sebastian Inlet. You MUST have your beans/toys at the library by 10:30am. Contest is judged/tallied per individual effort in the 2hr. time frame, please.

9am: Library opens.

10:30 to Noon: Judges will tally Bean-A-Thon entries outside in front of the library (awards at 7pm that night).

Noon: The Wrecking Season: film produced by Drifters Nick and Jane Darke presented by Curtis Ebbesmeyer

4:00pm: Polishing Your Sea-Beans co-presentation by experts Bill Blazek and Alice Lowe–automated and hand polishing techniques.

5:30pm: ODD-BEAN contest judging (for entries submitted all through the weekend). In a baggie with your name, address/phone number place your heartiest heart, plumpest (sea) purse, and smallest hamburger bean from an existing sea-bean collection. These entries DO NOT have to be found in the Saturday morning Bean-A-Thon. Please enter!!!!

Dinner Break: 5:30pm to 7pm. GROUP PICTURE OUTSIDE THE LIBRARY at 5:30pm! Be in it!

7pm: Prompt! Bean-A-Thon and contest awards and certificates presented. Raffle winners chosen.

7:45 to 8:45pm: Keynote speaker Dr. Blair Witherington, Florida’s Beaches are Alive!
9pm: Library closes for Symposium.

Sunday, October 21^st(9-11am)

Take down displays; small business meeting to discuss and schedule dates/help for next year’s symposium.

*October is still HURRICANE SEASON in Florida, so our schedule is at the mercy of the powers beyond our control. Hurricanes are wonderful for beaning, but can be dangerous for beachwalkers. Our beachcombing and Symposium activities may be cancelled because of severe weather, in which case we’ll follow evacuation procedures to the mainland. Hurricane information will be available at your hotel and at the library.