General
What is the weather like in Atlanta in July?
Hellishly hot with the potential for violent thunderstorms in the afternoon. We recommend you pack a travel umbrella.
What are some of the top attractions in Atlanta?
Atlanta Botanical Garden
Center for Puppetry Arts
The Georgia Aquarium
High Museum of Art
Imagine It! The Children's Museum of Atlanta
Lenox Square Mall
Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site
Six Flags over Georgia
Stone Mountain Park
World of Coca-Cola
Zoo Atlanta
...More at Georgia's Official Tourism Website
Registration
Who can attend the National Puppetry Festival?
While Puppeteers of America members attend for a reduced price, the National Puppetry Festival is open to everyone ages six years and older. Some performances are only suitable for mature audiences. Per Puppeteers of America policy, children under six years of age will not be admitted to any performance, workshop, clinic or special interest session which is planned for festival registrants as part of the festival program. Anyone under the age of 18 and not accompanied by a parent or guardian must have a note appointing a registered adult as responsible for that minor child.
Do I have to have paid Puppeteers of America membership dues for 2010 - 2011 in order to register for the festival?
In order to get the member registration rate, you must have paid 2010-2011 dues. We will check. If your membership is not current, your registration may be cancelled.
Are there reduced fees for children and students?
There are no reduced registration fees. Children who will be ages 10 and younger at the time of the festival can purchase on-campus housing and meals for half price.
Are there any scholarships available?
The Puppeteers of America offers a limited number of scholarships that cover the Registration Fee (but not housing or meals). Scholarship information and applications are available on the Scholarships page.
Will onsite registration be offered at the festival?
We expect the festival to sell out in advance, so we are not anticipating offering onsite registration. If this changes, we will announce it on this website and through the regular puppetry communication channels.
Will Day Passes be offered?
If space is available, we will sell Day Passes for the festival. If available, Day Passes will go on sale after regular registration closes on May 31.
If I have to cancel my registration, can I get a refund?
You can cancel your registration up until May 31, 2011 and receive a refund of all fees paid less 10%. Absolutely no refunds will be given after that date. E-mail our Registrars for cancellation instructions.
But I'm concerned I might have to cancel after that date! What can I do?
During the online registration process, you can purchase Registration Protection Plus from RegOnline. This is essentially insurance that will cover your registration fee in case of sickness, injury, loss of property, loss of life, weather, flight cancellation, strike, or legal obligation (subject to the terms of the plan). If you purchase Registration Protection Plus and are unable to attend the festival due to an emergency, the price of the registration will be reimbursed to you. This protection costs $20 and insures that you will not lose the money you spent to register for the festival if you encounter an issue that prevents you from attending. Note: Registration Protection Plus only reimburses the festival registration fee. It does not reimburse for meals, lodging, or festival merchandise.
Do I have to pay all festival expenses at once? Are you accepting deposits?
Through the online registration process, you do not have to pay all of the festival expenses at once. Paying your registration fee assures you a spot at the festival. You can then sign back into your account at some point in the future and choose and pay for lodging. Later you can select and pay for meals. You have until May 31 to pay for meals and housing.
Is online registration safe?
Online registration for the 2011 National Puppetry Festival is processed through RegOnline, one of the largest online registration companies in the world. RegOnline is certified as a PCI Level One compliant service provider. This level of compliance, most often associated with banks and financial institutions, means that their system security has been thoroughly reviewed and certified by Visa, and that they have met or exceeded their rigorous standards for transaction and system security. When registering online, every page you visit is encrypted using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology. RegOnline does not use or distribute information collected during a registration, and only the festival directors, registrars, and business manager have access to this information. Online registration is safer than mail, fax, or e-mail. You can read RegOnline’s privacy policy at http://www.activenetwork.com/information/privacy-policy.htm.
What do I need in order to register online?
Since you are reading this, it’s probably safe to say that you have Internet access. The only other thing you need is an e-mail address.
Can I register multiple people at the same time?
You have to register each person separately, preferably with a different email address, and pay for each. Trust us, this avoids many, many headaches. Of course, if you are paying by check, you can send us all of the individual invoices and write one check. You can use the same email address to register multiple people, but each person will have to have his or her own unique password.
My spouse and kids are accompanying me to Atlanta but are going to sightsee instead of attending the Festival. What do I do?
They don’t need to register for the festival as long as you understand that they will not be able to attend any of the performances, workshops, or other events. After you register, contact the festival registrars to add housing and meals for any accompanying persons.
What are my online payment options?
You can either pay online with Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, or Diners Club or print out an invoice and mail it with your check to the Festival Business Manager. Checks must be received within 10 days of your completing online registration.
I live outside the United States. What are my payment options?
We only accept payment in U.S. dollars. If payment is submitted by check, it must be in U.S. dollars. RegOnline can process credit cards in the following currencies: US Dollar (USD), Canadian Dollar (CAD), Euro (EUR), British Pound (GBP), Swiss Franc (CHF), Hong Kong Dollar (HKD), South African Rand (ZAR), Singapore Dollar (SGD), Australian Dollar (AUD), and New Zealand Dollar (NZD). The charge will appear on your credit card statement in U.S. dollars, plus any conversion fees charged by your bank.
I registered online but now I want to change my address/roommate/housing choice/meal plan/workshops. How do I do that?
You can login to your registration account anytime by entering the e-mail address you used to register. You can change anything that does not have an associated fee as often as you wish with the exception of your name and e-mail address. Please contact the Registrars if you need to change either of those. Changes to on-campus lodging, including roommates, cannot be done online after May 31. If you change an item that results in a price increase, for example, you add a t-shirt or switch from double to single occupancy, RegOnline will calculate a balance due and give you the option of paying by credit card or check. If you change an item that results in a decrease in the amount you owe, RegOnline will calculate a receipt. Our Registrars will process the refund according to our policy (amount due less a 10% fee). No refunds will be given after May 31. For more information, you can contact our Registrars at registrarpoa@aol.com.
I plan to apply for a scholarship but I won't know if I received it until after the Early Registration period ends. If I don't get a scholarship, do I have to pay the Regular Registration amount?
No. Everyone who applies for a Puppeteers of America scholarship but does not receive one will get instructions about how to register at the Early Registration rate.
I registered for the festival and got a confirmation email but I'm still getting emails encouraging me to register for the festival. What's up?
The publicity materials for the festival go out to everyone on the Puppeteers of America mailing list. Receiving them doesn’t mean you aren’t registered.
My friend put me down as his roommate/apartment-mate on his registration form. This means I am registered for the festival, right?
Wrong! You are only registered for the festival if you have completed the online registration form and paid the fee. Being listed as a roommate does not guarantee you a spot at the festival or “lock you in” for the early registration rate.
Since this is the United States, shouldn’t you inform us of important legal issues pertaining to the festival?
Of course! When you register for the festival, you agree to abide by all federal, state and local laws, ordinances and regulations. The festival is not responsible or liable for your personal belongs. The use of cameras, tape recorders and video cameras is prohibited during festival performances. Workshops may be audio and/or video taped only with the workshop presenter's permission. The festival program, including the number of workshops and performances offered, is subject to change without notice.
Performances
Workshops
When will online sign up for workshops begin?
When most of the workshops have been scheduled, sign up will begin through the online festival registration form. If you have already registered for the festival, you'll receive an email letting you know.
Will all of the workshop rooms be wheelchair accessible and air-conditioned?
Yes.
Will there be children- or youth-only workshops?
All of the festival workshops are open to all registrants. Per Puppeteers of America policy, children under six years of age will not be admitted to any performance, workshop, clinic or special interest session which is planned for festival registrants as part of the festival program. If you are not sure if a workshop is appropriate for your child, please email our Workshop Coordinator.
Other Festival Events
Venue
Are all of the festival facilities accessible to people with disabilities?
All performance, workshop, and event spaces are accessible. There will be a bus with a lift for transportation to the performance at the Center for Puppetry Arts. The campus apartments have elevators. We are committed to making the festival accessible to those with disabilities. Please contact the Festival Registrars so we can plan ahead to meet your needs.
Is there a bank on campus?
There are actually three
ATMs at the GT Student Center: Wells Fargo, Bank of America,
and RBC Bank. All three are together on the ground level
next to the Pizza Hut. There is also a Wells Fargo Bank across the street from the Student Center.
Will I be able to access the Internet on campus?
Are you kidding? At the Georgia Institute of Technology? The entire campus has WiFi access and each dorm room and apartment has a landline connection.
How safe is the Georgia Tech campus?
About as safe as any campus of over 19,000 students in the middle of a metropolitan area of over 5.6 million people can be. Most campus crime is nonviolent theft. We strongly encourage Festival attendees to never walk alone at night and to keep dorm and apartment rooms locked. The Georgia Tech Police Department has prepared a brochure of safety tips.
Can I park an RV, trailer, or camper at Georgia Tech?
You can park on campus in the designated lot with a permit, but no camping is allowed.
Can I bring a bicycle to ride on campus?
It’s an excellent idea. We would also suggest you bring along a high-quality bike lock. This is not to imply that the campus is not safe, but you should alway take precautions.
Will the festival have motorized wheelchairs for rent?
No, but you can rent one yourself from www.scootaround.com and have it delivered to you on campus.
My spouse and kids want to accompany me to Atlanta but want to sightsee instead of attending the festival. Can they stay with me on campus?
Yes, children ages 10 and younger can stay in the apartments and purchase the meal plan for half price. Contact our Festival Registrars about purchasing lodging and meals for accompanying persons.
Are laundry facilities available on campus?
There are laundry facilities on the first floor of the Maudling Apartments.
Can I stay on campus past Sunday, July 17?
Unfortunately, no. Everyone must be checked out of their on-campus apartments by 11:00 a.m. on July 17. The festival rate at the Hampton Inn also ends on July 17 (though rooms may be available at other rates).
Meals
Why are there two separate seatings for dinner?
Because we want you to feel like you are on a cruise ship. But seriously folks, the Woodruff Dining Hall cannot accommodate all of the festival attendees at one time. To make sure everyone has a seat and to keep lines to a minimum, we ask that you strictly adhere to your group’s dinner time.
One of my favorite festival experiences is to linger after dinner and talk. Are you saying we can’t do that?
You certainly can – but not in the dining hall. We’ll have designated lounge areas in the apartments that are very comfortable for after dinner conversation. Second-seating diners (6:15 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) will probably want to go directly to the Ferst Center after dinner to get a seat for the 7:30 p.m. show.
I’m a vegetarian with food allergies and a finicky palate. Will there be food I can eat?
You sound like the typical college student that Georgia Tech feeds every day. Let us know your meal restrictions when you complete the online registration. We’ll pass them along to Georgia Tech. When you go to the Dining Hall for a meal, tell the greeter you wish to speak to the manager. The manager will show you all the dining options that conform to your diet.
I only eat food that I have caught and sacrificed myself on the first full moon of each month. Can you meet my diet restrictions?
No. We suggest you book an on-campus apartment. You’ll have a kitchen to prepare your own meals (but you’ll have to bring all of your own kitchen supplies).
Will there be a banquet at the 2011 National Festival?
No.
Can I get meals on campus before the festival begins?
The Woodruff Dining Hall is open for brunch and dinner on Sunday and breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Monday and Tuesday. You can pay with cash. You can purchase lunch in the Student Center Food Court on Monday and Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Are there restaurants close to campus?
If you have a car, there are a host of restaurants in Midtown Atlanta. However, there are very few restaurants within walking distance. We don't suggest you walk alone at night. The festival schedule does not allow much time to travel off campus, eat, and get back. We strongly suggest you purchase one of the festival meal plans.
Transportation
Volunteer
Publicity
