Know Before You Go!
Use this page to explore some key facts to know before you head to the conference! We can’t WAIT to see you there.
– Prepare for the Tradeshow! |
Conference Hotel
JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa
23808 Resort Parkway
San Antonio, TX 78261
Check-in time: 4:00 PM
Check-out time: 11:00 AM
For information on taxis and shared car fares, parking, and other transportation options to the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, visit the Transportation page of the conference website.
Staying at another hotel nearby? Use the mobile app to find others to carpool with!
How can I book a spa appointment at the Lantana Spa? To book services, call the Lantana Spa directly at +1.210.276.2300.
How can I book a tee time at TPC San Antonio? Please visit the TPC Pro Shop in person or call +1.210.491.5800 to secure a tee time during your visit.
SAFETY, SANITATION & SECURITY
AHF is an organization that champions diversity, equity, belonging, and inclusion. We welcome attendees from all walks of life and consider our conference and our organization a place for safe discussion that ensures everyone can learn and network in comfort.
-To stay safe at any conference location, we recommend that attends follow some basic safety tips: -Don’t go out at night alone without a partner, friend, or colleague -Don’t wear your badge outside of AHF events when browsing through the city/area as you would be more easily identifiable as a tourist -Check with the hotel concierge about any unsafe areas of town or anything else you should be aware of when taking part in tourist activities. – Notify AHF management or the hotel of any concerns immediately. |
We are working closely with our meeting planning professionals, the hotel, and our partners/vendors to ensure we provide a safe environment that meets local, state, building, and CDC procedures.
We are also pleased to offer multiple sanitation stations from our valued sponsor, Ecolab, throughout the conference. Be sure to keep an eye out for them and utilize them as needed.
Food Allergies
If you have a food allergy, during each meal service, there will be signs that indicate common allergens. If you have a special dietary restriction (you will have indicated this during badge registration), you will have a special card in your badge, that you will be able to show to the hotel servers, so your special meal can be requested.
Registration Desk hours
Thursday, August 22 | 2:00 PM- 5:00 PM |
Friday, August 23 | 8:30 AM – 8:00 PM |
Saturday, August 24 | 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
Sunday, August 25 | 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
Mobile App
Be sure to download the conference mobile app. Search for “AHF Annual Conference in the Apple App Store or Google Play. The app includes the complete schedule, speaker bios, and much more! You can create your own schedule, connect with other attendees, AND interact on the Activity Feed. Once you download the app, be sure to explore all of its features.
Download from Google Play
Operators are encouraged to use our mobile app to interact with business partners throughout conference to earn points and win game prizes! You’ll gain the most points by visiting sponsor booths during the Saturday Tradeshow.
Check out our Operator game in the app and win prizes courtesy of our Sponsors! AHF will be offering a list of fantastic prizes from our sponsors and exhibitors. Game points will be counted until the end of the day on Tuesday and winners will be announced on Sunday morning by email and in the app. Be sure to visit with our sponsors in the Tradeshow to gain the most points! Prizes include:
Ground Transportation
For information on transportation to the Omni ChampionsGate: https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/orlando-championsgate/property-details/directions
Self-parking and valet parking are available at the following rates:
– Valet overnight is $40; Valet day-only rate is $40
– Self-parking overnight is $30; Self-parking day-only rate is $25
Local Weather
The forecast for San Antonio will be hot and sunny! The weather is estimated to be 100 during the day and high 70s at night. Be sure to:
- — Bring your sunglasses
- — Bring sunscreen
- — Pack a bathing suit!
- — Stay hydrated
DRESS Code
Conference attire is business casual. Relaxed and comfortable is the goal. Also, pack a sweater for inside the hotel during sessions – Hotels run cold!
Friday, August 23 – Opening Reception
No dress code! The reception will be at the Riverbend Pavilion and will be partially indoors, and partially outdoors. Be sure to dress accordingly. There will be indoor airconditioned space though. BADGE AND WRIST BAND REQUIRED TO ENTER.
Saturday August 24th – Culinary Competition Reception
No dress code! Most people wear what they wore throughout the day, but you are welcome to change. Join us for the culinary competition and reception to cheer on the five finalist teams and watch one team win the gold medalist title!
Sunday August 25th – Celebrate AHF Gala & Dinner
Cocktail attire and jackets are requested. Our final reception of the conference! This is the BIG one filled with amazing entertainment, a sit-down formal dinner, award ceremony, and dancing.
AREA ACTIVITIES
Rise Against Hunger Meal Packaging Event: (Free, Reg Required)
We’re so excited to have you for the Rise Against Hunger – Charitable Meal Packaging Event on Friday, August 23rd from 9:00 – 11:00 AM! The meals packaged during this experience will provide nourishment for those who need it most. Thank you to Hormel Foods for assisting AHF in making this charitable event possible!
Location: JW Marriott – Grand Oaks Ballroom
Est. Timing: This experience will last 2 hours.
Dress Code: Wear comfortable clothing and shoes.
- — Leave watches and loose jewelry behind. Plain rings such as wedding bands are okay.
- — Personal belongings like bags, jackets, and water bottles are not permitted in the packaging area. There will be a designated space for these items, but travel light if possible.
- — You’ll need to fully cover your hair with a provided hairnet. Consider wearing long hair tied back to make this easier. Beard nets will also be provided for volunteers with facial hair.
- — Please do not attend if you’ve had a fever or intestinal illness within 48 hours of the event.
Please review the Instructional Video for more details. Rise Against Hunger will be emailing all registered attendees instructions and a waiver prior to the event.
Freetail Brewery Tour (reg Required)
We’re so excited to have you for the Freetail Brewing Company Tour on Friday, August 23rd from 10:00 – 11:30 AM! Freetail Brewing Co. was founded in 2008 on the pursuit of creating exciting, innovative, and unique world class beer. Freetail Brewing Company and the JW Marriott have partnered together to develop a unique brew: Hill Country Honey Blonde! This unique beer is created exclusively for the JW and can be found throughout the property.
Key Information:
Departure: Uber vouchers will be available to get you to the brewery, where a tour and complimentary tasting await. We recommend departing in your Uber at 9:30am to ensure on time arrival.
Est. Timing: This tour will last 1.5 hours.
Dress Code: Come dressed appropriately for the outdoors (closed-toed shoes/hat).
Food is available for purchase at the brewery for lunch, however, we recommend eating breakfast prior to the tour. We’re excited to see you in just a few short weeks! Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.
DiSC Pro Training
The session “Unleash Your Leadership Potential with DiSC Pro Training” will take place on Friday, August 23rd from 2:00-4:00 PM. Attendees of the DiSC Pro Training will have received an email from AHF as well as our instructor, Laura Gibble, with a link to complete their pre-assessment. Complete the Everything DiSC assessment following the instructions in the email from Clark Training Group. We will be reviewing the results of your personalized assessment during the training. If you did not get your link, please email registration@healthcarefoodservice.org See you there!
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow AHF on Twitter (@ahfnetwork), Instagram (@AHF_National), Like the Facebook Page or follow us on LinkedIn throughout the conference! Join the conversation by adding #AHF2024 and #AHFNationalConference to your posts.
CEU’s & Agenda
AHF is pleased to offer CEUs for those attending the conference. Below is a summary of what has been approved by each credentialing body.
—-Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals (ANFP): 13 Credit Hours & 3.5 Tradeshow Hours
—-American Culinary Federation (ACF): 13 Credit Hours & 3.5 Tradeshow Hours
—-Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR): 11 Credit Hours
Certificates of attendance for CEU submission will be provided for each accrediting body after the conclusion of the event.