Origami Convention 2013 will be held at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), located on 27th Street between 7th and 8th Avenue, New York City June 21–24. It is open to OrigamiUSA members only (but you can join when you register).

The immediate neighborhood is one of industrial lofts, with varied restaurants and few shops, but excellent access to transportation. There are more extensive shops and restaurants within a five-minute walk. For more information about your trip to New York City, please click here for Travel Information or on the Travel menu item to the left.

Early registration for the Convention and housing at FIT is essential. Please click here for Registration Information and Accommodations Information or on the menu items to the left.

You must be a member to attend the Annual Convention. You can join or renew your membership here.

If you are interested in Volunteering, Teaching or Exhibiting at the 2013 Convention, please click here for Volunteering Information, here for Teaching Information, or here for Exhibition Information or on the menu items to the left and fill out the forms to let us know what you would like to do, teach or bring.

For the complete list of the times for Convention activities, please click here or on the Hours menu item to the left.

Downloadable Registration Forms

If you would rather print out and mail your registration forms, you can download them here. To complete forms not listed in the PDF's below (Teaching, Volunteering, Exhibition Registration, Silent Auction donation, Gold Mine Consignment or Mobile Library request) print the form from the relevant webpage. Send them to the Home Office, OrigamiUSA Convention 2013, 15 W. 77th St., New York, NY, 10024-5192.

  • Mail-in registration for Convention is now closed.

Return your completed registration forms, vendor forms, or "Sorry, I Can't Attend" forms to OrigamiUSA, 15 West 77 Street, New York,NY 10024-5192. Please include a self-addressed, stamped, business-size envelope for your convention confirmation.

Return your completed housing forms to Martha Winslow-Cole, 5222 Duck Springs Road, Attalla, AL 35954. Please include a self-addressed, stamped, business-size envelope if you want a written housing confirmation, or your email address if you would prefer an electronic confirmation.

First-Timers

Considering attending Origami Convention for the first time? We'll do everything we can to make your experience a memorable one. We'll provide information about New York City and have an orientation session on Friday night. Get an overview of the Convention here and get First Timer Information here.

If you have some general questions, please contact us by email here or contact Sam in the Home-Office at 212-769-5635.

Access Summary

Current members who are not registered for Origami Convention 2013 are welcome to visit the Sales Areas or the Exhibition at any time Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Please stop at the first floor Registration Desk in Building C to obtain a temporary nametag for access to those areas only. Remember that you must be registered as an Attendee to enter the Hospitality Area. Parents or guardians who require access to the site to pick-up or deliver members must be listed as a Guardian on the Attendee's registration form. Only one Guardian badge per underage attendee will be issued.

Non-members, including family and friends of members, may visit the public areas (Sales and Exhibition) on Saturday or Sunday from 10:30am to 4:30pm only, for a fee of $5 for adults, free for children under 12.

Annual Meeting and Voting

The Annual Meeting is an opportunity to learn more about our organization. The meeting takes place in two parts. The first part is held in the Great Hall from 12:15pm – 1:45pm and is used for voting only. An Election Committee member will be at the Information Desk to confirm your eligibility to vote and give you a ballot. For more information about our election process including our preferred use of proxy ballots, please visit the elections page or contact the Elections Committee at elections [at] origamiusa.org. The results of the election are announced at the end of the second part of the meeting.

The second part of the meeting is held in the Katie Murphy Amphitheatre from 5:30pm – 6:30pm. This includes reports from the Board and Operating Committee members on all the activities of OrigamiUSA. Come for the entire meeting and you will be eligible for a door prize!

Survival Kit

Everyone gets one - lots of paper and a variety of informative materials. Do you have any (non-commercial) information you would like us to include? Contact Sam in the Home-Office before the end of May.

Regional Group Displays

Part of a Regional Group or trying to form one? Bring posters, brochures and hand-outs and put them in our special Regional Group Area. Note that we are not able to hang anything from the walls of the Great Hall, so any displays should be free-standing.

Other Activities

There are several activities going on during the convention organized by members. There is more information here.

T-Shirt Reservations

You can order t-shirts in advance, and they’ll be waiting for you, size guaranteed at the Origami Source. For pick-up at Convention, order them with your Attendee Registration. If you cannot attend, you can order T-shirts through the "Sorry I Can't Attend" page.

Teaching Skills Class

If you’ve signed up to teach and are even slightly unsure of your skills, or if you’ve always wanted to teach but want to learn more about it, we’re here to help! There will be a Teaching Skills class on Friday at 9pm in the Katie Murphy Amphitheater. Please consider attending, even if you’re an experienced teacher.

Airplane Contest

Join us on Sunday at lunchtime to release your inner Amelia Earhart or Red Baron, and compete with your fellow pilots in the Distance, Accuracy to a Target and Time Aloft categories. Prizes will be given. Note the following rules: each plane must be made from one piece of paper, without cutting or glue, and no weights or tape may be added to the plane.

Convention Pros

Experienced convention attendees know to look for ribbons on name tags to help identify the wearer: First Timers in yellow, and Board Members and Convention Committee Members in red. We're looking for Convention Pros, people who've been coming to convention for years, and are willing to help if someone has a question. If you're interested in being a Convention Pro, please check the appropriate box on the registration form.

Monday Night Dinner

Monday Night Dinner is a wonderful opportunity to meet your favorite origami creators and authors, and your new and old friends, in an intimate and relaxed atmosphere. Dinner will include Roast Turkey and Sirloin at a Carving Station, plus scalloped potatoes, creamed spinach, seared salmon, saffron rice, another seasonal vegetable, pesto lasagna, dessert (cookies and brownies), beverage (soft drinks, water, coffee, tea), plus wine and beer for purchase. The total cost is $65 per person.

Convention Monday

Monday is a special day at Origami Convention 2013! It will be a full day of lectures, demonstrations and workshops. Previous topics have included: using origami in education or therapy, teaching origami, reading diagrams, jewelry making, wet folding, backcoating, folding miniatures, greeting cards, photographing origami, flower construction, decorating paper, diagramming, papermaking, preserving models, paper size determination, how to self-publish, developing regional groups, design and creativity.

In addition, we might have sessions on learning or improving the folding skills that will help you to move from simple to intermediate models, or from intermediate to complex. Saturday and Sunday continue to be a mix of models and techniques, but Monday will exclude classes which teach models using traditional origami paper. Individual classes may also require special materials fees.

The specific classes offered will, of course, depend on our volunteer teachers. Convention Monday will be what you make it! If you are interested in teaching or presenting, please fill out the appropriate section of the Teaching tear-off sheet. Someone will call you to discuss your class.

Please note that The Origami Source, Gold Mine, Silent Auction and Exhibition Area will not be open on Monday.