Hamilton on New Zealand’s North Island, played host to the New Zealand Family History Fair in 2010. This was a huge success, as over a 1000 people enjoyed the many exhibits and seminars on offer, as well as the opportunity to take advantage of FREE access to websites such as Findmypast, Ancestry, ScotlandsPeople, The Genealogist, Origins, Footnote, MyHeritage, World Vital Records and Family Relatives.

Now it’s on again, and bigger than last year!!

Exhibitors, seminars, New Zealand Society of Genealogists branches and interest groups, help desks and look-up services will all be returning along with an Internet Cafe, where you can try out some of the key websites focused on researching your Whakapapa (Maori genealogy). Previously held in the Kingsgate Hotel, the venue for this year’s event is the Claudelands Arena, which contains plenty of room for both exhibitors and seminars, as well as plenty of free parking. There is a cafe as well as a coffee cart open throughout the show, and the organisers say that you are welcome to bring your own food and refreshments.

As for the seminars … what a range of talks there are: Getting Started, Getting the Best from Google, Immigration to New Zealand, BDM Sites Online, Digital Photography, Breaking Down Brick Walls in British Research, Social Networking, the Benefits of Digitising Your Research, Ancestry.com.au, Secrets of Military Service Records, 1911 Ceneus in England, How One-Name Sties May Help your Research, Treasures of the Central Auckland Research Centre, Using Land Records … and that is just a few.

For the full listing of seminars and speakers, please click here.

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Now for the all important where and when details:

When: Friday 26 and Saturday 27 August 2011
Time: 9.00am – 5.00pm both days
Where: Claudelands Arena, Brooklyn Rd, Hamilton
Cost: see below

– Daily Fair Entry: $25.00
– Two Day Pass: $45.00
– Friday Pass + Keynote Presentation: $35.00
– Two Day Pass + Keynote Presentation: $55.00
– Seminars from: $5.00
– You can buy tickets online from Ticketek

More Info & News:
Website
Facebook page
Facebook event
Twitter
Blog

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Here’s a listing of a number of exhibitors you’ll find at the Fair:
– Ancestry.com.au
– Archives NZ (Department of Internal Affairs)
– Auckland Region Research
– Australian Research
– Beehive Books
– Central Auckland Research Centre, Auckland City Libraries
– Channel Islands Research: Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney & Sark
– Cornish Research
– Continental European Research
– Coromandel Research
– Fair Information Centre
– FamilySearch
– Findmypast.com.au
– Greater London
– Guild of One-Name Studies
– Hamilton Research
– Hooked on Genealogy Tours
– Huguenot Research
– Inside History magazine
– Irish in New Zealand
– Irish Research
– Land Records Research Service
– Maori Land Court  (Waikato Maniapoto Region)
– Maori Research / Whakapapa
– Midlands / Northern English Research
– MyHeritage
– National Army Museum
– National Library (Department of Internal Affairs) – PapersPast, Alexander Turnbull Library
– Northland Research
– NZ Births Deaths & Marriages (Department of internal Affairs)
– NZ Memories magazine
– NZ Research Stand
– NZ Society of Genealogist
— Lookups Pre 1846 shipping / departures all NZ ports, Pre 1846 Europeans in contact with NZ, First Families
— Lookups NZSG Kiwi Index.  Newly released index compiled by the NZSOG with over 9 million records. Available for public viewing only at the Fair
— Lookups – English Wills and Probates
— Library Catalogue: Explore the NZSG library catalogue
— Publications: NZSG membership applications, Publications – books, CDs and other resources for sale
– PastPrint
– PB Technologies
– PhotoFocus  / Heritage Images
– ScotlandsPeople Look up Service
– Scottish Research
– Second Hand Book Sales
– Shetlands Research
– Southern England / East Anglia Research
– Taranaki Biographical Indexes
– Taranaki Research
– The Genealogist  / S&N Genealogy Supplies
– Unlock the Past
– Waihi Arts Centre & Museum – Mining records
– Waikato Region Research
– Welsh Research
– Why You Are You – Sir Jon Trimmer’s Ancestral Dance: An exhibition of the research behind the Saturday evening  production “A trip down  Sir Jon Trimmer’s Ancestral Lane.”
– Young Genies:  especially for young people wanting to get started, or older genies wanting to inspire their youngsters

So my suggestion to all is to take Friday off, and spend two days immersed in a the genealogy world at the New Zealand Family History Fair, and then you still have Sunday to recover before it’s back to work the following week. Mind you by Monday you’ll also be rather grumpy, as you’re back at work and have no time to break down those brick walls that you now know how to … but there’s always the evenings!!