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More than 7,300 participants gathered in Austin for AVMA Convention 2024. (Photos courtesy of AVMA)
Austin was an easy sell for the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) annual gathering of 7,000-plus veterinary professionals. Not only did the city’s high-tech facilities impress AVMA, organizers recognized that its culture, music, and food would enhance attendees’ overall experience at AVMA Convention 2024, a five-day gathering comprised of educational sessions, an exhibition, and plenty of opportunities for connection and camaraderie.
“After attending the PCMA Convening Leaders [conference] hosted in Austin several years ago, we added the city to our RFP and eventually selected it as our western rotation city for 2024 due to its unique appeal and fun atmosphere,” said Erin Ciavarella, AVMA’s associate director, meetings and events.
Held June 21-25 at the Austin Convention Center and Hilton Austin, AVMA Convention 2024 achieved its highest-ever Net Promoter Score (which comes from how many attendees say they would recommend attending the event to a peer). To make that happen, Ciavarella and her team turned to Visit Austin to infuse the city’s lively spirit into the meeting experience. Ciavarella, who praised the Visit Austin team as “top notch,” said that they relied heavily on Visit Austin’s convention services manager Jenn Shira, who “did an excellent job showcasing the ways we could bring the city to life throughout our convention.”
At AVMA Convention 2024’s Food Festival Friday, Black artists, chefs, and musicians took to the stage for a Juneteenth-inspired celebration.
Hitting the Right Notes
The theme for AVMA Convention 2024 — “Hitting the Right Notes” — expanded on Austin’s moniker as the Live Music Capital of the World®. AVMA and Visit Austin collaborated to bring more than 20 local musicians to play in every corner of the convention and at off-site events, as well as curated an exclusive Spotify playlist for the gathering. Working with the music marketing team from Visit Austin’s Music Office “streamlined the booking process and made working with the various artists easy,” Ciavarella said.
Opportunities for attendees to focus on their physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing was also an essential component, with a dedicated “Center for Wellbeing” experience allowing attendees to learn about the positive role music plays in their mental health. Produced with local partners Levy, GES, and Encore, the Center for Wellbeing offered a song-production area with a piano, daily mocktails, live music, and more.
Giving Back
AVMA also collaborated with Visit Austin to offer attendees opportunities to make a positive impact locally, “in a way that is meaningful to the veterinary profession,” Ciavarella said. During a “Vet for a Day” experience, volunteer veterinarians gave live demonstrations, including suturing and ultrasounds, to middle-school and high-school students.
Attendees could also volunteer at a free clinic set up by The Street Dog Coalition, where unhoused people with pets could access medical care, nutrition, and supplies. In addition, pet owners could access free or discounted medical services from off-site vet offices.
The sights, sounds, and tastes of Austin played a starring role in AVMA Convention 2024.
Off-site Highlights
AVMA found ways to engage and entertain attendees outside of the event venues as well. Of note was an only-in-Austin continuing education experience, where attendees joined leading bat experts on a cruise tour of Austin’s bat phenomenon: Every day at sunset from spring to fall, thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats take flight from beneath the Congress Avenue Bridge into the sky over Lady Bird Lake.
Since the convention fell just a few days after Juneteenth, AVMA planners coordinated a food festival highlighting Black food, culture, and arts — a nod to the organization’s dedication to diversity. And finally, a concert held at the iconic Stubb’s Bar-B-Q brought the music theme full circle. Guests line danced the night away while indulging in delicious eats and the country tunes of the Grammy-award-winning duo, Brothers Osborne.
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