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!) Sea glass identification on Saturday only.

We are pleased to announce Mr. Richard LaMotte as this year’s keynote speaker and authority on beach/sea glass. Richard is vice president of the North American Sea Glass Association and author of the award-winning book Pure SEA GLASS (2004). He’s an all around expert on beach glass. This once common find on our beaches is unfortunately being replaced by plastics. Richard will be at the event on Saturday to sign copies of his book and identify rare pieces of glass.

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. Blair and Dawn Witherington 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 and Dawn will be at the Symposium with copies of their book. The ever-popular The Little Book of Sea-Beans will also be available. Jim Angy, Marge Bell and Matt MacQueen of Still Nature Productions will be offering their digital books and their new Beach Basics. This year we will again also make available for sale Cathie Katz’ beautifully written and illustrated The Nature of Florida’s…...series.

Thursday, October 16^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 17^th (9am-5pm)

Displays and collections open to the public all day, free, from 9am to 5pm. Enter your seeds/glass 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

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

Saturday, October 18^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 (see 4:30).

8:00 to 10:00am: 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/sea-glass on any beach between Canaveral National Seashore and Sebastian Inlet. You MUST have your beans/toys/sea-glass at the library by 10:30am. Contest is judged/tallied per individual effort in the 2hr. time frame, please.

9:00am: Library opens.

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

1:00 to 2:00 pm: Travels with Mr. SeaBean by Izumi Hanno of the Seed Awareness Network

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

4:00 to 4:30pm: GROUP PICTURE OUTSIDE THE LIBRARY! Be in it! Bring your camera! photos by Jim Angy

4:30pm: ODD-BEAN contest judging (for entries submitted all through the weekend). In a baggie with your name, address/phone number place your shiniest sea heart, largest Mary’s bean, and rarest piece of sea glass (in honor of this year’s keynote speaker) 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: 5:00pm to 7pm: Tables and displays will be taken down in main room in prep. for the keynote presentation.

7:00pm: Prompt! Bean-A-Thon and contest awards and certificates presented. Raffle winners chosen.

7:45 to 8:45pm: Keynote speaker Mr. Richard LaMotte, Pure SEA GLASS— 9pm: Library closes for Symposium.

Sunday, October 19^th(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.