42nd Annual Virginia Homeschool Convention

A full-convention registration includes all keynotes, regular workshops, College & Career Fair, Special-Needs Conference, the Used Curriculum Sale, and Exhibit Hall for you, your spouse, and dependent  (unmarried, living at home) children. It does not include optional, additional-fee events.

A Shopping-Only registration includes access to the Exhibit Hall all three days and access to the Used Curriculum Sale after 3 p.m. on Friday.  

Registration to Thursday’s Special-Needs Conference includes access to the special-needs keynote, the workshops in the Ballroom on Thursday, and the resource fair in the Ballroom Building Lobby. It also includes access to Exhibit Hall Premier from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday. 

General convention hours are:

• Thursday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
• Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
• Saturday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Yes! Thursday’s free How-to-Begin-Homeschooling workshops are a great way to sample the convention. You’ll receive a name badge onsite that gives you access to the Exhibit Hall Premier from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday–again, as our guest! 

(note: High School sessions require purchase of convention registration)

The are numerous parking garages available near the convention center, and prices vary. Be sure to arrive early if you plan to park in the Greater Richmond Convention Center parking deck–the lots fill early, especially on Friday. See Parkopedia for many other options. It includes prices, hours, and other information.

According to the Greater Richmond Convention Center’s policy, food obtained outside the convention center may not be brought in except for health reasons. There are several concession stands on site that are open Thursday through Saturday during convention hours.

Food Fun Facts:

The Cyber Cafe and Food Court in the Greater Richmond Convention Center will be open at various times during convention hours. Schedule TBD.

There are also a number of options within walking distance of the convention center.

 Yes! HEAV Lifetime Members and their dependent children (including unmarried young adults currently in their household) are entitled to FREE full convention admission*. You can find out more about becoming a Lifetime Member here.

* As long as HEAV holds a convention. The Children’s Program and other optional add-on event fees still apply for Lifetime Member families.

No. A family ticket is not available for any person other than a legal spouse and dependent children. You may not bring a friend, relative, fiance, etc., on a family ticket.

The answer depends on your child. Children of any age are welcome in the Exhibit Hall, UCS, and workshops*. However, if your child is uninterested in the workshop topic or finds it difficult to sit through a speaker presentation, he or she may be happier in the Children’s Program, available on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, for children ages 5 to 12. The children’s program requires an additional fee and fills on a first-come basis.
For older children, there are optional classes on Thursday and a Teen Program on Friday. 

*Please note that many of the workshops are being recorded. Parents of younger children are encouraged to sit near an exit, and they must slip out quietly if the baby or child becomes noisy. (This includes happy sounds as well as those of distress.) 

Since many workshops run concurrently during each session, seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. We recommend getting to the workshop of your choice several minutes early in order to get a seat–OR volunteer as a host/hostess in that workshop to guarantee a seat.

Most workshops are being recorded, so you can order an MP3 of the workshops you missed as well as the workshops you would like to hear again.

My child (13 and up) wants to volunteer but not attend workshops. Do I have to register him or her?

Yes. All volunteers must be registered to attend the convention. Remember, with family pricing your dependent children are included in your registration fee! BOTH youth volunteers AND their parents must be registered for the convention.

No, there are no admission discounts; however, volunteers are given the best selection of materials at the Used Curriculum Sale! Those who volunteer at least two hours at the HEAV Convention are granted early admission to the UCS from 9 to 10 a.m. on Friday morning.

The UCS will open for preregistered attendees starting Friday at 10 a.m. Admittance time will be assigned based on the date of your pre-registration. Attendees who register at the door, shopping-only registrants, and parents of preschoolers who attend for free cannot enter the sale until 3 p.m.

Free shopping is only open on Saturday, from 3 to 5 p.m. No online registration or fees are required; however, you will be asked to sign in at the Registration Lobby before proceeding to the Exhibit Hall. The Used Curriculum Sale will be closed by that time and is not included as part of free shopping.

Yes! HEAV encourages parents to think early about their child’s educational options. If you’ve never attended the convention and your eldest child is age 4 or under, you may apply for a free registration.