On Monday, October 29, 2018, Eastern Missouri delegate Ian S. received the call from representatives of the General Service Board letting him know that the bid from St. Louis was accepted for the 2030 International Convention. This altered a process that had started in 1993 by the late Virginia “Ginny” J. and the late Ed M., who wanted our fellowship to revisit the principles established at our 1955 International Convention in St. Louis on its 50th Anniversary. Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age: a Brief History of AA gives a detailed account of the event and what transpired, along with the many in attendance who helped shape our fellowship, and what they did for us.
St. Louis bid for the 2005 and 2025 events before succussfully bidding on the 2030 event. While interest in hosting the event never waned within the fellowship, drastic improvements to Downtown St. Louis after 2005, plus a new level of assertiveness from the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Bureau and Downtown STL, inc. have made St. Louis a viable candidate.
Those invovlved in St. Louis AA are ecstatic about hosting the 2030 International Convention. Many can’t wait, but unfortunately they’ll have to. Unlike all the local conventions that require work and adminsistration throughout the year, the International Convention is almost entirely conducted between the event management company (Talley Management Group) and Explore STL, (the St. Louis Convention Bureau) with direction from the General Service Office. Local participation won’t begin until a host committee chairperson is appointed by Eastern Area of Missouri, probably a few years before the event (2028).
Special Thanks goes out to everyone that helped: Explore St. Louis staff, Downtown STL, Inc. , all the Downtown St. Louis hotel Staff that showed support at the arch grounds on July 12th,
the Soul Cracker Band, and all those AA members (who shall remain anonymous) that attended informational meetings, visited groups, passed out flyers, and helped plan the BIG EVENT on July 11th. This was a BIG WIN for the region and was a major GROUP EFFORT, just like AA itself.
There are rumblings within the fellowship about a celebration, or possibly holding another event like our 2018 Street Party Extravaganza each year as a reminder, and really, as time and place for St. Louis and Southern Illinois AA to come together and have fun! Keep an eye out for news…….
St. Louis to Host 2030 AA International 