ISC2024 Memphis • International Santa Celebration
Every two (2) years, the International Santa Celebration (ISC) brings together members of the Christmas Community from around the world for socialization, learning, networking, and camaraderie. Hosted in large part by IBRBS, the world's largest organization of professional Santas, Mrs Clauses, spouses and associates, ISC events are open to all types of Christmas performers, whether members of IBRBS or not.
ISC2024 Memphis is a 3-Day event with a full schedule of workshops, entertainment, meals, and a parade. Previous ISC events were only 2-days. Thursday, this year's welcome day, will offer a unique riverboat tour and dinner while tickets last. If your in the mood for baseball, we have arranged a RedBirds (Cardinal AAA team) Baseball Game for those that would rather attend a game Thursday night, with a reserved area, and a discounted hot dog and drink coupon add-on. Registration is Thursday from 9am until 6pm. Late arrivals can bring their Event Ticket with them for breakfast on Friday and receive their event badge, bag and meal tickets packet.
Almost our entire event will be housed within the newly-renovated, expansive Renasant Convention Center, directly across Main Street from the Sheraton Memphis Downtown Hotel, our host hotel. There is an ADA-accessible sky bridge to more easily move from one facility to the other. You can reserve your hotel room at our substantially discounted attendee pricing by visiting the Sheraton Memphis Downtown Booking Link. If you need an ADA-accessible room and can't seem to find one on the Sheraton's website, please make a reservation for a room and then email ISC.INFO@IBRBS.org so we can have it switched. Please do not take one of these limited rooms unless you really can't attend without a special room.
Registration fees provide each attendee access to 3-days of instructional workshop sessions, our extensive (over 16,000 sf) Vendor and Christmas School Showcase area, seven included meals featuring two gourmet dinners, two lunches, and three breakfasts, terrific entertainment and speakers, and much more! You won't want to miss this unique opportunity to learn more about our Community and our passion, as well as to mingle with old friends and make new ones. Arrive early and take advantage of touring some of Memphis' exciting venues, including Graceland and the Elvis Presley Museum, historic Beale Street, AutoZone Park, watch the ducks at the world-famous Peabody Hotel, Mud Island, the unique Bass Pro Pyramid, and much more.
Please note: The ISC2024 Memphis Vendor Committee is still accepting requests to be considered for participation in, and have space made available within our ISC2024 Vendor and School Showcase. Email isc.vendors@IBRBS.org for assistance.
SESSION SPEAKER POSITIONS ARE FILLED Please note: The ISC2024 Memphis Workshop Committee is now accepting requests to be considered for workshop presentations. We have 45 slots over the 3-days. Please send an email to ISC.PRESENTERS@IBRBS.ORG to express your willingness to participate.
Unlike Atlanta in 2022, ISC2024 Vendors/Schools will be housed together in one large ballroom with approximate square footage 16,000sf of available space versus the two vendor areas that were restricted to only 6,500 SF. The Vendor Showcase will open for sales on Thursday, April 25, at 8 am and is conveniently located on the same floor and across a hall from the Sponsor Area and Dining Room in the Renasant Convention Center, directly across Main Street from the host Sheraton Memphis Downtown hotel.
ISC2024 Memphis
Event, Activity, and Workshop Schedule
Thursday, April 25, 2024
Check-In at the host hotel – The Sheraton Downtown
Event Registration 9 AM to 6 PM
Arrival day with no official ISC2024 scheduled daytime activities but our Vendor Showcase is scheduled to open at 8 am. Use your free time to tour Memphis, see Graceland and the Elvis Presley Museum, Sun Studios, the Bass Pro Pyramid Store, enjoy hundreds of great restaurants, and watch the ducks at the world-famous Peabody Hotel.
Thursday Night Enjoy a 2-Hour Riverboat Cruise on a classic sternwheeler. The trip includes the river tour, a one-trip BBQ Buffet dinner and entertainment and a Cash bar will be available. This is a separately paid event ($60/ea) with limited seating. The ISLAND QUEEN has a dining area on the main deck which makes it more ADA-accessible. The riverboat has a capacity of 130 people. The Memphis Queen serves dinner upstairs and has a 170-person capacity. Boarding begins at 7pm and the Cruise launches promptly at 7:30 PM and will return to the docks at 9:30 PM.
If you don't like the idea of a river cruise, we've got a AAA Redbirds baseball game scheduled for 6pm Thursday night too. 100 premium seats reserved at a discounted price ($18.85 w/tax) and a discounted hot dog and drink coupon too. One of our Santas is singing the National Anthem. Check facebook ISC group for more information.
All Workshop sessions are 45 minutes long with 15-minute interludes between each. All workshops are conveniently located within eyesight of one another and bathroom facilities are close. We have tried to design all aspects of this event to be ADA-accessible with wide aisles and special seating areas. Yes, we heard you in Atlanta!
Registration for your 14 individually-selected workshops will begin as soon as we have a schedule assembled. Some key presentations will be repeated and some extended workshops will be offered over two sessions in a row.
Meal selections are available as you register, or later, but need to be completed by April 16, 2024.
Friday, April 26, 2024
Registration 9 AM to 12 PM. (Other times by previous arrangement only.)
Breakfast 7:00-8:15 AM
Friday Morning Workshops
Sessions 1A, 1B, 1C – 8:45-9:30 AM
Sessions 2A, 2B, 2C - 9:45-10:30 AM
Sessions 3A, 3B, 3C - 10:45-11:30 AM
Lunch 11:45 AM to 12:45 PM
Break from 12:45-1:30 PM
Friday Afternoon Workshops
Sessions 4A, 4B, 4C - 1:30 PM-2:15 PM
Sessions 5A, 5B, 5C - 2:30 PM-3:15 PM
Sessions 6A, 6B, 6C - 3:30 PM-4:15PM
Sessions 7A, 7B, 7C – 4:30 PM-5:15 PM
Break from 5:15 PM – 6:30 PM
Banquet and Entertainment
Dinner 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Entertainment 8:30 PM to 10:00 PM
Saturday, April 27, 2024
Breakfast 7:00-8:15 AM
All Workshop sessions are 45 minutes long with 15 minute
interludes between each.
Saturday Morning Workshops
Sessions 8A, 8B, 8C - 8:45-9:30 AM
Sessions 9A, 9B, 9C - 9:45-10:30 AM
Sessions 10A, 10B, 10C - 10:45-11:30 AM
Lunch 11:45 AM to 12:45 PM
Break from 12:45-1:30 PM
Saturday Afternoon Workshops
Sessions 11A, 11B, 11C - 1:30 PM-2:15 PM
Sessions 12A, 12B, 12C - 2:30 PM-3:15 PM
Sessions 13A, 13B, 13C - 3:30 PM-4:15PM
Sessions 14A, 14B, 14C - 4:30 PM-5:15 PM
Break from 5:15 PM - 6:00 PM
Banquet from 6:00 PM -7:30 PM
Concert 8:00-10:00 PM - Tickets for St Jude Children's Research Hospital charity fundraiser concert, the Legends of Rock and Roll, with tribute artists performing as Elvis, Kenny Rogers, and Dolly Parton, are also available as a separate purchase, $20 per ticket charge for ISC attendees. The event is open to the public at $35 per ticket charge. The concert will be held from 8pm-10pm on Saturday night in the Cannon Concert Hall in the Renasant Convention Center, immediately following dinner.
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Breakfast 7:00-8:15 AM Served at the Renasant Convention Center.
Sunday Morning Workshops
Sessions 15A, 15B, 15C - 8:45 AM-9:30 AM
Sessions 16A, 16B, 16C – 9:45 AM-10:30 PM
Checkout unless you plan to stay until Monday
Two gender-specific rooms will be provided for you to change into your Christmas apparel and the luggage can be left in each room, under guard, for your return to change into your travel clothing.
Christmas Character Parade on Beale Street USA
Organizing 11:00 AM-11:45 AM
Parade 12 Noon AM to 12:30 PM
ISC2024 Memphis officially ends, but some vendors will be remaining in the vendor showcase room for some of the day.
The ISC will feature an expanded total of 42 Workshop Sessions: 36 single and 6 repeat or extended potentials. If someone has a workshop that would require more than 1 session, then these should then be booked back to back as Session 1 and Session 2
Vendor and School Showcase hours
• Thursday, April 25: 8:00 am - 10:00 pm (opening day)
• Friday, April 26: 8:00 am - 10:00 pm
• Saturday, April 27: 8:00 am - 10:00 pm
• Sunday, April 28: 8:00 am - 12:00 noon
Our Christmas in April Parade will be held on Sunday, April 28, 2024, on historic Beale St, beginning with the lineup beginning at 11:00 am and the parade scheduled from 12 noon to 12:30 pm.
Accommodations
You should take advantage of our special hotel rates at the conveniently-located Sheraton Downtown Memphis hotel. It is adjacent to the Renasant Convention Center with covered air-walk access. The hotel is the official event hotel with very competitive rates and is contributing to the event costs, which no other hotel or Air-B and B is doing. You must use our exclusive online coded link to receive these sharply discounted attendee rates ($169) instead of calling. Our low rates may expire in mid-late March and you need not pay for your room until 72 hours in advance. A limited number of nights may be available for Wednesday night as well. Daily self-park spaces, under the Renasant Convention Center, will be available for only $10 per day with no in/out privileges. Access is off of Front Street, on the west side of the Convention Center. Drop off luggage at the hotel and then move the car to the Convention Center parking. Valet is available at the hotel with in/out privileges, but is approximately $38/day.