Fall Fest [Nov 14, 2015] GIRS Fall Fest 2015!! (Pleasant Hill, IA)

You can RSVP to the event via the link!

 

More Raffle Prizes added, including

Huge donations of products by Seachem and Reef Nutrition!

A certificate redeemable for (5) Shedd Pass tickets, which is a bump up from their previous donation!

More coming soon!

 

Speaker Bios added to the event listing!

 

2 more vendors added!

Printed Reefing Solutions makes 3D printed parts for reef aquariums
Printed Reefing Solutions

Aquarium Addictions - frozen food
Aquarium Addictions

 

Reefkeeping bwahahahahhaahahaaha

But seriously, we're going over the options now so it should be posted soon

 

THIS JUST IN!

New raffle donation!

Dr. Fosters & Smith / Live Aquaria donated a $250 gift certificate!!!

 

Another reason to attend!

Premium Aquatics has generously donated 300 Goodie Bags, each including a discount card that is good for anything on their site, even exclusions!!

Bags will also be stuffed with Pen, Algae Scrapers, some with Magazines, and we'll add some things for GIRS Members

We will give these out to every paid admission (or GIRS Member) who attends the speakers; after that, only to GIRS Members. We want to make sure that if you are a GIRS member, you get a goodie bag.

Also...one GIRS member will get a SURPRISE in their bag!!

 

Another raffle item added - Gift certificates to Frag Creations (attending the show) worth $300!

 

Event updated with some hotel information, repeated here:

HOTEL INFORMATION

There are probably 100 hotels in the Des Moines area that you can choose from, and generally, none of them are going to be more than a 30 minute drive (with the farthest being in the Jordan Creek Mall area of WDM)

These hotels are pretty nice, and just a few miles from the venue:

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Altoona
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Altoona-Des Moines
165 Adventureland Dr
Altoona IA 50009
(515) 967-1855
8 mi (10 min) away
From $135 /night

Prairie Meadows Hotel (connected to casino)
Hotel Altoona, IA - Prairie Meadows
1 Prairie Meadows Dr
Altoona, IA 50009
(515) 957-3000
4.5 mi (9 min) away.
From $128/night

This one is downtown for anyone wanting to stay near the action on Friday/Saturday night:

Renaissance Des Moines Savery Hotel (Marriott)
Renaissance Des Moines Savery Hotel
401 Locust St
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515) 244-2151
7.3 mi (14 min) away
From $179/night

If you're bringing the kids and want to keep them entertained and/or wear them out, this hotel has an indoor waterpark, and the room comes with 4 waterpark passes:

Ramada Tropics Resort
Des Moines Hotels | Indoor Water Parks| Ramada Tropics Resort | Iowa
5000 Merle Hay Rd
Des Moines, IA 50322
14.7 mi (16 min) away
(515) 278-0271 (about 20 min away)

And if you are just looking for a close room to crash in...

Sleep Inn and Suites
Sleep Inn & Suites, Pleasant Hill, IA
5850 Morning Star Ct
Pleasant Hill, IA 50327
(515)299-9922
1 mi away
From $109/night*
*this is as long as we get at least 10 rooms, otherwise it's $129/night. We are going to get a "code" from them that everyone who stays there can use - more info on that as soon as we have it.​

 

Update on the cheapest-option hotel:

Sleep Inn & Suites, Pleasant Hill, IA
5850 Morning Star Ct
Pleasant Hill, IA 50327
(515)299-9922
1 mi away
$105.40/night***
***You must book directly with the hotel and tell them you are coming for an event and need the "local corporate rate"

 

Donation added from Ocean's Wonders! Thanks @Jamie!

 

Early setup 6pm Friday, on Saturday I will be getting there early, probably 7am or earlier