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2009 & SEE BELOW FOR 2010 Nancy Drew Convention Details

View current convention info--bookmark this page and check back often for updates! Then below, view information on our past conventions! Contact us here if you want info on the convention or want to be on our e-mail list for updates and information about it.

The 9th annual Nancy Drew Sleuths' Convention: REGISTRATION IS CLOSED

2009 CONVENTION DAY TICKETS: (Updated: June 14, 2009)

If you would like to attend our Nancy Drew convention day at the Excalibur Hotel in Las Vegas, NV: Sat. Oct. 3rd from 9:30am to 5:00pm with speakers, Nancy Drew Scrapbooking activity, and charity raffle, we have limited seats available for the public to attend! You may purchase tickets via Pay Pal or send in a payment via snail mail.

DEADLINE TO PURCHASE TICKETS: Tuesday, Sept 1st, 2009 unless we sell out before then--check back before payment to check on ticket availability!

TICKET COST: Kids under 4=free. Everyone Else: $20.00 ea/includes Nancy Drew Scrapbooking Activity

HOW TO PAY: Send a Pay Pal to: nancydrewsleuth@aol.com and then e-mail us with your ticket contact information/address/names of attendees so we may mail your tickets to you and put you on our convention list. You may also e-mail us and request a Pay Pal invoice be sent to you to pay in that manner.

OR - Mail in your payment, payable to Jennifer Fisher at: P.O. Box 128, Higley, AZ 85236-0128. Checks and money orders accepted, DO NOT SEND CASH!


2010 NANCY DREW CONVENTION DETAILS:
SLEUTH ON LAND * SLEUTH AT SEA

Get a Clue! It's Nancy Drew's 80th Anniversary and the 10th Anniversary of the Nancy Drew Sleuths Fan Club! We're planning an impressive set of 2 events in Florida to celebrate these milestones!

For the 1st Time Ever! A Mysterious Nancy Drew & Hardy Boys Convention! Nancy Drew Sleuths invite Hardy Boys fans to join us for a week of double the mystery/double the fun! With honored guests (tentative) Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys illustrator Rudy Nappi & Stratemeyer Syndicate Partner Nancy S. Axelrad! LIST OF SPEAKERS FOR BOTH LAND/CRUISE EVENTS COMING SOON!

Each event--land and sea--are separate events yet they run right together to facilitate attending both events for those who want to join us for both! It's a whirlwind of events not to miss for any Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys fan!

Looking for speakers on Nancy Drew & Hardy Boys topics! Book Dealers too! Set up for Sat. April 10. E-mail us if you're interested!

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SLEUTH ON LAND!

DATES: April 6 - 10, 2010
LOCATION: Merritt Island, FL (Outside Orlando)
THEMES: Nancy Drew #18 Mystery of the Moss-Covered Mansion (Revised) + Hardy Boys #85 The Skyfire Puzzle + More TBA!

ACTIVITIES: Follow in the footsteps of Nancy Drew & The Hardy Boys in and around Merritt Island, FL.

Tentative Schedule:

Tues. Apr. 6 - Meet & Greet Party 7pm

Wed. Apr. 7 - Book Hunting/Tour Collections/Party

Thurs. Apr. 8 - Kennedy Space Center Tour & More Book theme activities TBA

Fri. Apr. 9 - Follow in Footsteps of ND/HB books set in area. Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys Celebration Mystery Event

Sat. Apr. 10 - Convention Day at hotel, Merritt Island. 9:00 to 5:00pm. Speakers, activities, merchandise, charity raffle. List of Speakers TBA. Evening: 7:30 to 10:00pm - Mystery Dinner/Gift Exchange.

HOW TO REGISTER: Registration forms & the fee will be posted later this summer once we iron out our activities. At this time, contact us to be put on our e-mail list for more information!

DEADLINE TO REGISTER: Jan. 10, 2010.
EARLY REGISTRATION DISCOUNT DEADLINE: Oct. 15, 2009.

HOTEL: Clarion Hotel, 260 E Merritt Island Cswy SR 520 , Merritt Island, FL.

HOTEL RATE: $83.00/nt + tax.

HOW TO BOOK HOTEL: TOTALLY TRAVEL will be handling the booking of your land convention hotel for you. (They are also handling the booking of the cruise/registration as well so if you are attending both events, they are your one-stop shop for booking!) Visit their website to book your hotel!

DEADLINE TO BOOK HOTEL: TBA

SLEUTH AT SEA!

DATES: April 11 - 15, 2010
LOCATION: Departing Port Canaveral, Florida (near Merritt Island/Orlando, FL) CARNIVAL CRUISE to Bahamas
THEMES: Nancy Drew #17 The Mystery of the Brass-Bound Trunk, #19 The Quest of the Missing Map, #70 The Broken Anchor, 70s TV Show: Mystery of the Ghostwriter's Cruise. Hardy Boys Theme TBA.

ACTIVITIES: 4 day Carnival Cruise to Bahamas with stops in Freeport and Nassau. On Ship Activities and Speakers in 3 two-hour sessions Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday including a mystery scavenger hunt, costume party, contests, speakers and other fun activites TBA.

Tentative Schedule:

Sun. Apr. 11 - Arrive at ship by 1pm. Sails at 4pm. On Board Activities TBA.

Mon. Apr. 12 - Free time in Freeport, Bahamas. Sails at 4pm. Scheduled Activities on board: 3pm - 5pm. TBA.

Tues. Apr. 13 - Free time in Nassau, Bahamas. Scheduled Activities on board: 8pm - 10pm. TBA.

Wed. Apr. 14 - Sails at 6am for Port Canaveral. Sailing All day/evening. Scheduled Activities on board: 3pm - 5pm. TBA. Scavenger Hunt wrapped.

Thurs. Apr. 15 - Ship arrives back at Port Canaveral by 7am. Everyone should be off the ship by approx. 11am. We recommend you book a flight leaving no earlier than around 3pm if you are returning home on Thurs.

HOW TO BOOK/REGISTER: TOTALLY TRAVEL will be handling the booking and registration for the sea cruise to the Bahamas! (They will also be handling the booking for the hotel at the land convention on Merritt Island so if you are attending both events, they are your one-stop shop for booking!) Visit their website to book/register! Payment is by check or credit card.

COST OF REGISTRATION/CRUISE:The following prices include both the registration fee and the cruise fee for the cruise! That is: your accomodations on the cruise ship, meals and drinks (except for soda/alcoholic drinks), registration fees for all private Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys events on board for speakers/activities/scavenger hunt/costume party/etc., plus goody bag and DVD of cruise events/speakers.

The prices are per person based upon double occupancy--you will need a roommate to cruise!

Inside Room: $519
Oceanview Room: $559
Balcony Room: (On request, prices quoted at time of deposit)

*A non-refundable deposit of $150 per person is required to reserve your cabin. Final payment due January 15, 2010. Travel insurance is available through Totally Travel if you are interested.

SPECIAL: *Book this cruise by 9/1/2009 to receive $25 per person discount.

Book Now!! Cruise Cabins are limited. And blocks go quickly, so we recommend if you do want to do the cruise, that you try and book as soon as possible! We cannot guarantee that cabins will still be available by the deadline. NANCY DREW SLEUTHS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU BOOK BY SEPTEMBER TO GUARANTEE A SLOT!

PLEASE NOTE: To attend the convention at sea and all Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys private events, you must book through Totally Travel!

SLEUTH AT SEA CRUISE FAQ:

Q' "I checked out Carnival's website (or another travel website) and see a lower fare than quoted above. Why is this?"

A: The prices quoted above include port charges, taxes, and the registration fee for all private Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys events on board and all those costs associated with event planning plus the goody bag/DVD. PLEASE NOTE: To attend the convention at sea and all Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys private events, you must book through Totally Travel!

Q' "Do I need a passport to take the cruise?"

A: Yes. You will need a passport to cruise--new rules/regulations. You can get one at your local post office so be sure to do so within plenty of time before the cruise. They do take time to process.

Q' "Does the cruise cost above cover all drinks aboard the ship?"

A: Only water/tea/coffee--and not coffee at the coffee shops. If you want to purchase passes on board for sodas/etc. you can do so once you board.

Q' "Does the cruise cost above cover excursions and other non-free events on board?"

A: The cruise fee covers only scheduled private convention events on board. Any special services you use or excursions you want to sign up for are an additional cost. Please check with Totally Travel to inquire about extra excursions you can do in your free time on board the ship and at stops in the Bahamas.

Q' "What is the dress code on a cruise ship?"

A: Casual, however usually the 2nd night of cruising is a formal night for dinner so you can have fun dressing up!



The original "Carolyn Keene"
Mildred Wirt Benson, Toledo, OH, at first annual Sleuth convention
March 2001
Photo Copyright 2001, J. Fisher, All Rights Reserved.

Nancy Drew Sleuths Conventions

Annually, the Nancy Drew Sleuths get together for a convention filled with presentations, activities, and book and antique hunting. The convention is a great time for series book collectors to meet, trade books and stories, and hunt for missing books from their collection. Convention locations are chosen to tie-in with the Nancy Drew® books to add a more nostalgic flair to the event.

Conventions are open to both Sleuth members and non-members, but Sleuth members receive special discounts and perks. Book dealers are encouraged to come and set up books for sale, a small dealer table fee will be charged.

Past Conventions & Highlights

March 2001: Toledo, Ohio. Members met the original "Carolyn Keene," Mildred Wirt Benson, and had books signed and asked lots of questions. They toured sites of Toledo, went book hunting, and ate dinner at a haunted restaurant.

April 2002: Iowa City, Iowa. Members visited The University of Iowa to view Mildred Wirt Benson's archives of photographs, outlines, letters, columns, stories, and ephemera. They visted with the organizers of the 1993 Nancy Drew Conference, held at the university, Carolyn Stewart-Dyer and Nancy Tillman Romalov and presentations were given. A trip to Ladora, Mildred's hometown, to view her childhood home and meet her family was a wonderful experience for all who attended.

April/May 2003: New York City, New York. Members spent a week touring sites of New York including Stratemeyer themed sites. Visits to the New York Public Library Stratemeyer archives were met with enthusiasm of members who got to delve into Stratemeyer Syndicate lore. Highlighting the week's activities and book hunting was a visit to a book dealer's home with thousands of series books and a local collector's huge Nancy Drew® collection spanning books, collectibles, and artwork. Capping off the week was a successful day of presentations from the Stratemeyer family, the Russell H. Tandy family, Simon & Schuster, Applewood Books, and Sharon Reid Harris.

March 2004: New Orleans, Lousiana. Members spent the week visiting historic and haunted sites in the French Quarter and outerlying areas, Nancy Drew® theme sites mentioned in the books set in New Orleans, went book and antique hunting, joined in on a crawfish boil and BBQ at a local collector's home, visited a historic plantation, attended a Nancy Drew® murder mystery party aboard a "haunted showboat" on its dinner and jazz cruise, and attended a day of presentations from Sleuth members Sharon Reid Harris, Todd Latoski, Meredith Jaffe, Rachel Smith, and presentations by Simon & Schuster and Gumshoe Girls.

October 2005: Phoenix, AZ. Members were treated to a Shadow Ranch and Kachina Doll Nancy Drew® theme during their week in Phoenix, AZ. Highlights include: Meet and Greet Dinner, Ghost Town tour and Dirk Valentine Treasure Hunt, Western Dinner, Kachina Doll collection tour, book hunting, Kachina Doll dinner and mystery hunt at "hacienda", tour of Jenn Fisher's collection, day of presentations from: Garrett Lothe, Renee Walker, Jenn Fisher, and Dean Burcham, book dealers set up. Game play of lifesize version of Nancy Drew® Mystery Game from the 1950s. Lots of prizes given out and trivia contests. 3 Goody Bags given out.

The Nancy Drew 75th & Stratemeyer Syndicate 100th Anniversary Conference was held June 16-19, 2005 in NYC, with a few Sleuth events. For details on the conference, click here.

October: 2006: Chicago, IL. Members toured "River Heights Country" while solving mysteries at Red Gate Farm and found a Hollow Oak treasure! Activities included: All Day Bus trip of book hunting, antiquing, visit to a real life Red Gate Farm, Hollow Oak treasure hunt, Sleuth Madonna's Red Gate Farm party, Chicago sightseeing, visit to the American Girl Store to view Nancy Drew® book on display, Danger on the Great Lakes dinner cruise on Lake Michigan, presentations at the Chicago Children's Museum, a Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza dinner, a Joker's Revenge game, and a fun Nancy Drew® theme gift exchange.

June: 2007: Pasadena, CA. The Sleuths had their first movie & TV theme convention, timed to the release of the Warner Brothers movie, Nancy Drew. Members toured the Huntington Library and viewed some sights where the Nancy Drew® movie was filmed, went book hunting, and played a Nancy Drew® cover art game. On the day of the movie's release, members held a Nancy Drew® 101 event at the Burbank Public Library, toured Warner Brothers Studios, and saw the Nancy Drew® movie. The Sleuths held their big convention day at the Pasadena Hilton and featured 7 speakers on a variety of topics, had book and merchandise sales, and that evening held a special 1930s Nancy Drew® murder mystery party complete with skits, a prize, and a fun Nancy Drew® theme gift exchange. A tour of Dave Farah's collection and BBQ was a highlight!

Sept-Oct: 2008: Bird-in-Hand, PA. The Sleuths headed to Witch Tree Country for a fun-filled convention! Members visited Hershey, PA and had their photos printed on chocolate bars, went book hunting and antiquing and found a few goodies, toured Amish farms, quilt shops, and went on a Witch Tree Clues Hunt. A hayride and a ghost tour were especially fun! Members spent a day in historic Philladelphia touring sights around Independence Square and those that Nancy visited in the SuperMystery, A Question of Guilt. A dinner at City Tavern complete with Revolutionary War era costumed servers was a treat. The Sleuths held their convention day at the Bird-in-Hand Family Inn complete with speakers: Author Jennifer Fisher, Nancy Drew Files Artist Tricia Zimic, Author Penny Warner, Crafty Sleuth Lea Fox, and Author and Professor Michael G. Cornelius. Dinner was a special smorgasbord and that was followed by a "barn dance" complete with our crafty Nancy Drew gift exchange, some singing, and a raffle for neat Nancy Drew prizes. And no one was hexed or accused of being a witch like Nancy in The Witch Tree Symbol!

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