ADVANCE YOUR OUTDOOR CAREER
October 31 - November 4, 2023 | Baltimore, MD

For attendees, your registration will include:

• AORE's Super Social is included for all non-student and daily packages.
• Workshops & keynotes, networking, and social events;
• CareerHQ featuring a job fair, mock interviews, and resume reviews;
• Exhibit hall with live vendor presentations and 1:1 meetings;
• Committee meetings

Currently AORE does not have the funding to offer scholarships for attendees. We welcome brands and organizations who are invested in promoting the outdoor recreation and education industry to sponsor scholarships for attendees. If you are interested in sponsoring scholarships, please reach out to the AORE team at nationaloffice@aore.org.

Yes! Check out our registration packages here. We offer options so the more people you bring, the more you save. These packages allow multiple people from your organization access to the full conference which includes education sessions and the expo hall. To receive this multi-attendee discount, attendees from the same organization must register at the same time and pay with one credit card.

Click here to view full workshop descriptions.

Wilderness First Responder Recertification

Date/Time: Oct 29-31, 2023 | 830 AM - 530 PM ET

Location: Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School

Fee: $439.00

Risk Management for Outdoor Programs

Date/Time: Nov 1-29, 2023 | 11 AM - 1230 PM ET

Location: Online

Fee: $649.00

PCIA Single Pitch Climbing Instructor Course

Dates: Oct 27-30, 2023

Location: Safe Harbor, PA

Fee: $650.00

PCIA Sport Climbing Instructor Course

Dates: Oct 28-30, 2023

Location: Safe Harbor, PA

Fee: $400.00

PCIA Climbing Wall Instructor Course

Dates: Oct 28-30, 2023

Location: Loyola University

Fee: $400.00

PCIA Outdoor Provider Training

Dates: Oct 25-26, 2023

Location: Safe Harbor, PA

Fee: $650.00

PCIA Indoor Provider Training

Dates: Oct 27-28, 2023

Location: Loyola University

Fee: $400.00

Yes! We are back for 2023 with our Research Symposium! Abstracts featured include:

• College Students Political Identity and Perceptions of Climate Initiatives and Nature: Implications for Outdoor Program
• The 'Ins and Outs' of Outdoor Academic Programs within the United States
• Attempting to improve self-assessment: An application of Schumann, Sibthorp and Hacker's Illusion of Competence
• Developing and Establishing Validity Evidence for a Measure of Situational Leadership in an Outdoor Leadership Context
• Investigating Black Nature-Relatedness in Nature-Based Youth Programs

Research will continue to be a prominent theme beyond the symposium, with two additional research sessions: Speed Dating: Research and Relevance and Surveys; and Benchmarking and Research: Data to Move Your DE&I Work Forward.

A symposium is a gathering of experts or enthusiasts to exchange ideas on a specific topic, often with an audience.

We are excited to offer a wide range of professional development opportunities at the 2023 Outdoor Professional Conference! We opened our call for proposals February 17, 2023 for anyone (members, non-members) to submit. The call for proposals was initially set to close March 17, but we ended up extending it until the end of March. 

Those who submitted proposals agreed to the following:
1. In order to increase access to AORE, the association has always operated with a strong reliance on volunteers and with a lean budget. This means, all presenters and volunteers pay to attend the conference. If accepted, all presenters must register and pay for the attendance at the 2023 AORE Annual Conference (daily rates are available).

2. All presenters understand that they must be willing to present any day of the Conference, during any time slotted under the direction of the Conference Planning Action Team. Efforts will be made to avoid conflicts listed by the presenters at the time of submission.

3. All presenters will demonstrate high standards of professional conduct and will not discriminate against participants on the basis of gender, age, socioeconomic or ethnic background, sexual orientation, or disability. As the Lead Presenter, I verify that I have communicated with all other presenters. By Signing below, we acknowledge that, if accepted, our presentation will adhere to the requirements listed above.

Once the proposal window was closed, we worked with our volunteer review team. Approximately 20 volunteers went through multiple proposals and grade the proposal on the follow criteria:   

Any identifying information, such as presenter, was removed during the review process.  

 The content is current and of interest to the target audience.

The topic will and should affect the industry.

The topic aligns with one or more of the goals and objectives for the conference.

Organization and Structure

Easily identifiable goals/outcomes appropriate for the audience.

Argument/evidence clearly grounded in research and/or experience.

Acknowledges a range of perspectives, learning preferences, and abilities.

Clear and logical progression of topics.

Ability to Inspire Action

Transferability to a range of settings.

Clearly articulates practical application strategies in a significant and thorough manner.

Encourages and motivates audience to achieve more.

Overall Quality

Relevance: Original and engaging content.

Organization: Creative and innovative presentation.

Inspiration: Promoting growth and excellence.

This year we also worked with many partners, including the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable and the Outdoor Foundation to curate topics that were missing from the conversation. We created the Future of Facilitated Recreation Series, this series will explore challenges, opportunities, conversations and connections that are at the forefront of the profession of facilitated recreation.

If you are interested in presenting with AORE with our virtual programming or at our future Outdoor Professional Conferences, please email us at NationalOffice@aore.org.

There is no onite parking at the Convention Center. Here is a list of parking garages closest to the Baltimore Convention Center:

1. Conway Parking Lot: 100 West Conway St. Located behind the Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel. Two entrances: Parry Street and Conway Street. 410-962-8300.
2. Sheraton Inner Harbor Parking Garage: 300 South Charles Street. Entrance is located on Perry Street. 410-962-8300
3. Park America/ McCormick Spice: 414 Light Street Lot- Located across from the Visitor. Two Entrances: Charles Street and Light Street. 410-685-6459.
4. Bank of America Central Parking Garage: 100 South Charles Street Entrance is located on South Hanover Street. 410-625-2385.
5. Hyatt Regency Baltimore Garage: 300 Light Street. Two entrances: Light Street and Charles Street. 410-385-8886.
6. Holiday Inn Hotel Garage/Lot: 301 West Lombard Street Both the garage and lot entrances are located off of Lombard Street. 410-703-4497.
7. Days Inn Inner Harbor Hotel: 221 West Lombard Street. Three entrances: Back Entrance, Lombard Street, and Howard Street. 410-752-0518.
8. Arena Garage Republic: 99 South Howard Street. Entrance is located on Howard Street. 410-837-2060

Click to see a parking map. 

There are five area hotels secured for you to choose from. Please be sure to select AORE in the dropdown! Dates reflect the AB Show start date (11/1) but you can do reservations starting Saturday, October 28. See the hotel options here: https://compass.onpeak.com/e/012606559/1 

Yes, absolutely! You can attend AB, MFA and NAYS sessions are free for all AORE attendees.

Keep in mind, if you register through AORE, you will get AORE education (October 31 - November 3), plus the AORE social.  You will also get to go to AB/NAYS/MFA education (November 2 - 4), BUT you have to pay for the AB social (you can buy a ticket).

If you register via AB, your event access will begin November 1 and you can attend the AB social, BUT you will have to purchase a ticket to the AORE social and will not have access to AORE events on October 31.

THINGS TO DO IN BALTIMORE

There is always something fun happening in Baltimore! From live entertainment to family fun outings, here you can find some of our must-attend events for the month. Enjoy award-winning museum exhibitions, one-of-a-kind festivals, outdoor activities and fun for the whole family. Visit baltimore.org/events/things-to-do-in-baltimore-this-month to see all the happenings!

BOP PASS

In Baltimore, a “bop” is slang for a long walk. With the free BoP Pass you can take a journey through the streets where Frederick Douglass, Billie Holiday and Harriet Tubman once walked, learning about their contributions to history and how their fearlessness, big ideas and bold innovation informs our culture today.

Get your free BoP Pass and discover Baltimore’s Black museums, restaurants, shops and other cultural and historical attractions throughout the city—exploring over a few hours or a few days. Visit baltimore.org/bop-pass

CHARM CITY PASSPORT

Exclusive discounts for your group at restaurants, hotels, shops, attractions and more all in the palm of your hand.

How the pass works:

1. STEP 1 - GET YOUR PASS This mobile exclusive passport is a collection of curated attractions, retailers, restaurants and more and offering deals and discounts to redeem during your visit.
2. STEP 2 - RECEIVE TEXT Your passport will be instantly delivered to your phone via text and email and is ready to use immediately! There is no app to download. Your pass can be saved to your phone’s home screen for easy one-tap access.
3. STEP 3 - REDEEM When visiting a participating business, simply present your phone to the attendant or staff member to redeem available discounts. Visit baltimore.org/charm-city-passport to learn more and download the app.

CHARM CITY CIRCULATOR

Charm City Circulator and the Harbor Connector are everywhere you want to go downtown. Best of all, they’re free! Buses run 15 to 20 minutes, every 20-25 minutes for the Banner Route. Charm City Circulator’s mixed Fleet of Diesel hybrid and Clean Diesel buses make over 100 stops along four routes, traveling through some of Baltimore’s most charming neighborhoods, from Mount Vernon to Federal Hill, from the University of Maryland to Fells Point, and everywhere in between. Check out the route and learn more at transportation.baltimorecity.gov/charm-city-circulator.

ONLY IN BALTIMORE

Learn more about quintessentially Baltimore traditions like picking crabs and eating snowballs at baltimore.org/plan/only-in-baltimore.

PLACES TO EAT

Explore Baltimore’s unique dining scene and get beyond chain restaurants. See, it’s more than just crabs and seafood. We have diverse international flavors, historic public markets and food halls, delicious vegan options, cocktails that will hit the spot and locally beloved breweries. Check out dining options at baltimore.org/what-to-do/where-to-eat.

See Visit Baltimore for information on sporting and cultural events, shopping, dining and any travel information that might be helpful for your trip.

In early November, Baltimore's average high is 62 degrees, while the average low is 46 degrees.