Cher Convention - July 2000

Congress Plaza Hotel & Convention Center
Benefiting Children's Craniofacial Association

Event Schedules and Pricing

The events are lined up as follows. Please realize that things may need to be changed in the schedule as we go along. These prices do not include lodging or transportation. ALL proceeds go to The Children's Craniofacial Association (CCA).

Friday Evening: The price of this event is $75.00.

On Arrival Rendezvous Check In - Get wrist stamped to re-enter.
Room - Pre-registered guests please bring a drivers license or other valid photo id.

7:00PM Gold Room Welcoming with a cash bar.

8:00PM Gold Room Dinner - Dress Nice.

9:00PM Gold Room Cher Impersonator Show.
If you would like to join our dinner guests for the show and dance, the admission is $40 to benefit CCA.

10PM-2AM Gold Room Dance to Cher music. DJ: Kevin Bernal.
If you would like to join our dinner guests for dance only, the admission is $20 to benefit CCA.

Saturday: The price of this 9-5 event is $10.00 if paying in advance, or $12.00 if paying at the door. If you are paying at the door and are wearing a Cher t-shirt you will get a $2.00 discount.

9AM-5PM Great Hall Convention
Cher items and Cher Convention 2000 souvenirs for sale, plus and events entertainment, and mingling with a few hundred die hard Cher fans. Drinks and snacks will be available for purchase.

On Arrival Rendezvous Room Check In - Get wrist stamped to re-enter and to attend events. Pre-registered guests please bring a drivers license or other valid photo id.

9AM-5PM Rendezvous Room Fans are welcome to meet throughout the day to exchange Cher memorabilia. Convention Staff will not be responsible for items.

9AM-5PM Great Hall To learn more about The Children's Craniofacial Association please visit the CCA booth.

9AM-5PM Great Hall Petitions.

9AM-5PM Great Hall Autograph Book - Fans may sign a personal message to Cher. The Autograph Book will be given to Cher. $5 per line to benefit CCA will be appreciated.

9AM-5PM Great Hall Cher Video and Audio Montage.

9AM-5PM Great Hall Cher Museum.

9AM-5PM Great Hall Name that Cher Tune.

10:00AM Frances I Cher Fashion Seminar - Host: Wayne Smith.

10:40AM Great Hall "Starbabies" Booksigning by Children's author Wayne Smith. Wayne is assisting CCA in publishing a children's book. Donations to benefit CCA will be appreciated.

10:50AM Great Hall Amy Hohimer will sing as Cher.
Main Stage Donations to benefit CCA will be appreciated.

11AM-12PM Great Hall Amy Hohimer, as Cher, will pose with fans for pictures. $8 per picture to benefit CCA will be appreciated.

11:00AM Rendezvous Cher Bingo - Host: Mary Ladd.
Room $5 per card to benefit CCA will be appreciated.

12:00PM Frances I Cher Movie Seminar

12:30-1:30PM Great Hall Silent Auction - Cher Memorabilia.

1:00PM Great Hall Presentation by Children's Craniofacial Association. Main Stage

1:20PM Great Hall Wayne Smith will sing "I Got You Babe" as Cher. Main Stage Donations to benefit CCA will be appreciated.

1:30-2:30PM Great Hall Wayne Smith, as Cher, will pose with fans for pictures. $8 per picture to benefit CCA will be appreciated.

2:00PM Frances I Cher Music Seminar - Host: Ward Lamb.

2:30-3:30PM Great Hall Cher Karaoke

3:00PM      Frances I     Cher Trivia - Host: Mary Ladd.
               Contestants - a donation of $15-20 to benefit CCA.
               Audience - a donation of $2-5 to benefit CCA.

3:50PM Great Hall Jeffrey Thomas will perform a song as Cher.
Main Stage Donations to benefit CCA will be appreciated.

4:00-5:00PM Great Hall Jeffrey Thomas, as Cher, will pose with fans for pictures. $8 per picture to benefit CCA will be appreciated.

4:00-5:00PM Great Hall Wayne Smith, as "Laverne", will pose with fans for pictures. $8 per picture to benefit CCA will be appreciated.

4:00PM Frances I Cher Career Seminar - Host: BostonQ.

Saturday Evening: The price of this event is $75.00.

On Arrival Rendezvous Check In - Get wrist stamped to re-enter.
Room Pre-registered guests please bring a drivers license or other valid photo id.

7:00PM Gold Room Pre-dinner gathering with a cash bar.

8:00PM Gold Room Dinner - Semi-formal. "Time for us to dress like adults, we can all apologize afterwards."

9:00PM Gold Room Auction and Silent Auction.
Auctioneer: Wayne Smith

10:00PM Gold Room Awards & Closing Ceremonies.

10PM-2AM Great Hall Dance to Cher music. DJ: Kevin Bernal.
If you would like to join our dinner guests for the dance only, the admission is $20 to benefit CCA.

Smile! - Photographer Stan Kotecki, will be wandering throughout the convention photographing for our Souvenir program.

REGISTRATION PRICES. PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE LODGING OR TRANSPORTATION.

The non- refundable registration fee is 15.00.

Anyone wanting to attend both banquets and the convention the price will be 150.00 plus the registration fee of 15.00.

Anyone wanting to attend only one dinner the price will be 75.00 plus the registration fee of 15.00.

Anyone only attending the Saturday convention will pay only 10.00 in advance and no registration fee. On Convention day the price is 12.00 at the door, or 10.00 if wearing a Cher T- shirt.

No age restrictions, other than any laws or curfews of Chicago, Illinois.

We sincerely hope to make this a fantastic event. Giving Cher fans many nice memories to take back home with them along with perhaps a few new friendships.

Profits from the convention, and donations sent by those not attending will be given to Children's Craniofacial Association. This will be a "Thank you Cher" for five decades of entertainment.

On behalf of the entire convention staff we thank you and hope to see you there.

Jody, Judy and Kim

Steven distinctly remembers the first time he saw Cher on tv when he was just nine years old sitting on the floor at a family get together. While the rest of the extended family was socializing Steven was glued to the set as Sonny and Cher bantered on their variety show in 1971. Every thing else faded out and has continued to do so all these years later. His taste in all things pop-culture have changed over the years and he has moved from Ohio to New York City and back again. Fads have come and gone. The one and only thing that has remained constant is his admiration and respect for Cher in all her honesty, openness and trendsetting allure.

Steve currently works for a newspaper in Dayton, Ohio and continues to build upon his Cher, and Sonny and Cher memorabilia collection. He has seen every Cher movie on opening night, including "Mask" where he stood in line directly behind Chastity Bono in NYC (she walked over and called her Mom from a pay phone). He recently worked on bringing Chastity to a book signing in Dayton, where he introduced her.

Steven will present "Good Times: Cher at the Movies", a chronology and brief history of the film career of "the multi-media Princess".

We are very honored that Wayne will be hosting the Fashion Seminar. Wayne worked for Bob Mackie in the early eighties. While there, he shopped with Cher for material for her gowns.

Wayne is currently being interviewed for a book about mentors.
Bob Mackie has always been a huge inspiration in Wayne's life.

Wayne is very talented and artisic. He recently wrote and illustrated a children's book called 'Starbabies'. It is currently being marketed through all Neiman Marcus stores in the United States. Wayne will take time off from his book signing tour to help make Cher Convention 2000 a successful event

We are pleased to have Ward Lamb present a seminar on Cher in Music,
and Rare Collectibles.

Ward is one of Cher's oldest fans! He has been a collector of Cher and an avid admirer from 1965. He is one of the few to actually have heard "Ringo I Love you" on the radio! It was love at first sight when he first saw Cher on "Shindig" singing "I got you Babe " with Sonny.

In 1979 Ward first met Cher on tour in Reno Nevada. He presented her with artwork that has been featured on "The Life Styles of the Rich and Famous". Cher has since purchased original artwork from Ward (who is an artist and teacher). Ward has great memories of spending some exciting times with Cher, sister Georganne, and entourage. Ward has followed Cher with visual and aural interest for all four of her famed decades.

Ward has written liner notes for Sonny and Cher reissues (three disc set on "sundazed", and supplied personal photos and graphics). His vinyl and cd collection on Sonny and Cher are one of the most extensive on the planet.

Ward recently had a 7 page article in the Dec.'99 issue of Goldmine Magazine, documenting Cher's recording career. His most recent work for cd was for the Rhino "internet only" Sonny Bono "Innerviews" cd.

Ward is currently working on putting together the most comprehensive booklet of Cher's long musical career, focusing on her many domestic and foreign collectibles. He is looking forward to giving a seminar at the convention on Cher's musical saga and her most rare collectibles

This set was made by a very special lady named Cindy of Violetskye's Gallery.
If you enjoy Cindy's work as much as I do, PLEASE visit her site.