Origami Convention 2016 will be held at St. John's University, located in Queens, NY, June 17–20. U.S. residents must be current members of OrigamiUSA to attend the Annual Convention, but you can join when you register: join or renew your membership here. International (non-U.S.) attendees do not have to be members.
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 St. John's University is essential. Please click here for Registration Information and Accommodations Information or on the menu items to the left.
If you are interested in Volunteering, Teaching or Exhibiting at the 2016 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.
If you have some general questions, please contact us by email at admin [at] origamiusa.org or contact us in the Home-Office at 212-769-5635.
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 (i.e., Teaching, Volunteering, Exhibition Registration, Silent Auction donation, Gold Mine Consignment or Mobile Library request) go to the relevant page (by clicking on the entry in the left menu bar), click on the link to the form you want to submit, print it, and send it to the Home Office, OrigamiUSA Convention 2016, 15 W. 77th St., New York, NY, 10024-5192.
Mail-in registration for Convention is now closed.
Return your completed registration and/or vendor forms to OrigamiUSA, 15 West 77 Street, New York,NY 10024-5192. If you include an email address, you will receive your registration confirmation by email. Otherwise, we will mail it to you.
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. Note that "Sorry I can't Attend" kits are purchased through The Origami Source.
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 at convention-firsttimer-info [at] origamiusa.org or contact us in the Home-Office at 212-769-5635.
Registration Requirements for Exhibition, Teaching
As has long been the case, if you wish to teach or exhibit at Convention, you must register as an attendee (even if you are not taking classes). The online registration system requires you to have registered online as an attendee before you can fill out the exhibition and teaching online forms. We highly encourage all attendees to register using the online system (you must be logged into your website account to do so). You can, however, register using downloadable paper forms via mail. In that case, though, it will take a few days for your registration to be processed before you will be able to register online for exhibition and/or teaching
On-Line Teaching Preview, Schedule and Model Menu
You'll be able to view the classes people are planning to teach as soon as they offer them, including photos if the teachers add them. Be warned that these are not final classes or descriptions – we will probably make lots of changes once we initiate discussion with the teachers – but you'll be able to get an idea of what has been offered. In addition, the final schedule will be available on-line by Wednesday of convention week. Photos will be available on the schedule, so that you'll be able to avoid the crowds at the physical Model Menu by sitting with the virtual Model Menu on your laptop, tablet or phone. Free WiFi will be available all around campus.
Access Summary
Current members who are not registered for Origami Convention 2016 are welcome to visit the Sales Areas or the Exhibition at any time Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Please stop at the D’Angelo Center (DAC) first to obtain a temporary nametag for access to those areas only. Free parking is available. 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 4:00pm only, for a fee of $5 for adults, free for children under 12.
Volunteer System
Volunteering is a critical part of our convention. You can select your own tasks and time slots via our online Volunteer Sign-up System. See here for more information.
Suggest Classes
Do you want to suggest a model that you'd love to learn, or are you looking for ideas of models to teach? We've set up a Suggest Classes page where you can let us know what you're interested in. Remember that there's no guarantee that anyone will want to teach your suggested model, but we'll try, and prospective teachers, please take a look at what people are requesting!
Sorry Kit
Sorry Kits, Collections, and T-shirts for non-attendees are sold through The Origami Source. See here for more information.
Guardian Rules
Room capacities dictate that we must limit the number of guardians who accompany under-age children or people with disabilities. Each person in need of a guardian or aide will receive one Guardian badge that can be used by multiple people, one at a time. This means that if, for example, Mother wants to come on Saturday and Father on Sunday, they can each use the same badge. You won't have to fill out an additional form for the Guardians; just check the box on the Attendee Registration form and add the names (and cell phones) of the people who will be using the badge. If you are a NON-FOLDER who wishes to volunteer at the convention for two or more hours per day, please fill out the staff registration form. Remember that Guardians cannot join students in classrooms unless both are registered to attend classes.
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 Hospitality Area from 12:15 pm–1:45 pm on Saturday 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 on Saturday 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 us in the Home-Office before the end of May.
Gold Mine Consignment
There's been some confusion about what can and can't be consigned or sold to the Gold Mine, so we've clarified the policies, percentages, etc. Check the Gold Mine page to see details. There's a form to fill out to reserve spots in the Gold Mine, and to let us know what to expect. We'll send an email to acknowledge and confirm.
Other Activities
There are several activities going on during the convention organized by members. More information here.
The Origami Collection
The Origami Collection is our annual book publication. Every year OrigamiUSA publishes a book of diagrams for the latest creations by folders from around the world. It normally has in excess of 50 diagrams and 200–250 pages. For pick-up at Convention, order it with your Attendee Registration. If you cannot attend, you can order the Collection through the "Sorry I Can't Attend" page.
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 9:00pm. 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 garden salad, sliced steak with maple soy glaze, chicken piccata, penne primavera, sole francaise, roasted potato, string beans almondine, Tuscan rolls, dessert (mini italian pastries, seasonal fruit), beverages (coffee, tea, decaf, soda and water). You can choose just the dinner or dinner plus the open beer and wine bar. The cost is $35 without alcohol, $45 with the open bar. In order to keep the prices reasonable, we've opted for a more casual atmosphere, replacing formal china and linens with less formal place settings — but the food will be good and the camaraderie as rich as ever.
Convention Monday
Monday is a special day at Origami Convention 2016! 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 Monday teaching form.
Please note that The Origami Source, Gold Mine, Silent Auction and Exhibition Area will not be open on Monday.
Forgot Something?
Often attendees contact us to add something they forgot in their original registration such as a T-Shirt, a Collection, or a meal. To facilitate these add-ons, we have added a new registration form where you can sign up for these additional items. Please note that you must be logged in under the same website account that you used to register. This page is only for additions, not to change things from your original registration (e.g. a T-shirt size); for that you still need to email us at convention-registration [at] origamiusa.org.
Silent Auction
The Silent Auction is a venue for rare, unusual and valuable items, so if you have a signed, out-of-print book, or a t-shirt from a 1995 foreign convention, or a vest made from crane patterned fabric, this is the Area. There will still be an opportunity to donate Grandma's holiday gifts, gently used t-shirts, duplicates of current in-print books (used in-print books will be donated by us to schools and libraries), etc. Those donations will be on tables in the Gold Mine area labeled as 'White Elephant,' and can be purchased immediately. Since we expect to have lots of white elephant items, the table will be replenished multiple times during the weekend. Be sure to check back often! And bring lots of stuff to donate – clean out your closet of those things you haven't touched in years. Remember – one person's junk is another person's treasure, and this is also an opportunity to donate to OrigamiUSA – tax letters available on request. If you don’t fill out a form in advance, please be aware that we may be unable to process your items this year.