The American Gem Society (AGS) is moving its 2021 Conclave, originally set for next April, to the fall.

The group’s signature networking and education event was supposed to take place April 26–28 at the Omni Louisville Hotel in Louisville, Ky. Now, AGS is searching for not just new dates but a possible new host city as well, says CEO Katherine Bodoh.

The spring event is yet another victim of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even as the country approaches the introduction of vaccines, AGS was unsure that life would be back to normal five months from now, Bodoh says.

“Every member of our executive committee cares so much about our membership and their health and safety,” she says. “We want to provide a safe environment, and we didn’t feel like we could make that decision with the information that we have right now.

“We miss our community so much, and our goal is to have in-person events in 2021. But April just isn’t the right time for us. We feel like fall will be a much better time frame for in-person events.”

She adds that “we’re excited about the fall time frame. The members leave Conclave inspired, so it will be a great time to get them energized and revitalized for the holiday.”

However, in the future, the Las Vegas–based association anticipates it will hold the Conclave in the spring.

In March, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was heating up in the United States, AGS called off its 2020 Conclave, which was scheduled to be held in Denver. It was only the third time the Conclave had been canceled in 86 years.

The group had booked many of the same presenters for Louisville who were slated to headline Denver, like Henry Winkler.

But the fall lineup is still a work in progress, Bodoh says.

“We want to have relevant content and bring back some of the higher-paid professional speakers,” she says. “But these days, you feel like you can’t plan more than few months ahead of time.”

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has suggested that American life could get back to “relative normal” by the second or third quarter of 2021, depending on adoption and distribution of COVID vaccines.

(Image via Twitter)

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