Sprinkler Age A Publication of the American Fire Sprinkler Association
AFSA40 Offers Education, Exhibits, and Entertainment in the Heart of Hill Country
Howdy, y’all! The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) is gearing up for a fantastic celebration in San Antonio, Texas, Hill Country for AFSA40: Convention, Exhibition, and Apprentice Competition. Taking place September 18-21, 2021, AFSA40 will gather the best in the fire sprinkler industry to learn, network, and socialize under the big Texas sky. In addition to 100 hours of education in 60-plus technical and managerial seminars, AFSA40 offers entertainment worthy of an anniversary celebration! Read below to see how you can participate in all of AFSA40’s special events.
Tee Time—Grab Your Clubs!
Host to the Valero Texas Open, TPC San Antonio is an experience of a lifetime. AFSA is excited to host the AFSA40 golf tournament at the Canyons Course, which stands on its own as a tournament venue in terms of design, strategy, and Texas Hill Country beauty. The course played host to PGA TOUR Champions’ San Antonio Championship from 2011-2015. Test your skill on this 18-hole Pete Dye-designed championship course, measuring 7,106 yards with a Par 72 challenge for scratch golfers and novices alike with dramatic elevation changes. Corridors provide panoramic views of a 700-acre nature preserve. The AFSA40 golf tournament on Saturday, September 18, is a four-person team scramble with contests for longest drive and closest to the pin for both men and women. Golf clubs are available for rent. Your golf registration includes a boxed breakfast and two drink tickets. If you’ve already registered for AFSA40 but wish to add a golf tournament registration, log in to the Attendee Service Center with the login information provided in your registration confirmation email to add the AFSA40 golf tournament to your existing registration!
40th Anniversary Opening Party
AFSA40 kicks off the night of September 18 with an opening party to celebrate AFSA members’ 40 years of growth, professional advancement, and the pursuit of excellence. This festive event features live music performed by London Calling, a nine-piece Austin band, entertaining the audience with music from the last 40 years. Enjoy food, drinks, and dancing with your AFSA family at the outdoor River Bend Pavilion located within the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa.
Apprentice Awards Party at Knibbe Ranch
The AFSA Apprentice Awards Party on September 21 will be an experience you will never forget! Pull on your boots and jeans for an evening event at Knibbe Ranch, a real Texas working ranch. A steady lineup of live country music complete with Texas line dancing will keep you on your feet. Or, if cognac and cigars by the campfire is more your style, we’ve got you covered. Otherwise, participate in the armadillo race—form a team and encourage your live Texas armadillo to cross the finish line first! There is something for everyone at this event. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, enjoy a delicious Texas-sized steak cooked to perfection on an outdoor grill prepared by master culinary chefs. The highlight of the evening will be the crowning of the newest National Apprentice Competition champion! The evening ends with a magnificent fireworks display to mark AFSA’s 40th anniversary.
Headquartered in the Hill Country
Nestled amid 600 acres of oak-covered hills, the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa is a luxury haven within a stunning landscape and the headquarter hotel for this year’s convention. Schedule some time before and after AFSA40 to explore the area’s most popular attractions, including wineries, SeaWorld, Shops at La Cantera, Natural Bridge Caverns, and Six Flags Fiesta Texas. The hotel also features the thrilling River Bluff Water Experience, a nine-acre water park with a 1,100-foot lazy river; six restaurants; and a luxury spa.
Find your respite in upscale accommodations with expansive floor plans, plush furnishings, premium amenities, and breathtaking views of the Texas Hill Country. The JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa is an inspiring destination with something for everyone. AFSA convention registrants who have a room reservation under AFSA’s group block will enjoy:
• Free Networking Meals with “All-Access” registration (up to six meal vouchers) if staying at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. With an “Exhibit Hall-Only” registration, up to three meal vouchers if staying at the hotel. Vouchers are valid only for AFSA networking meals but not at hotel restaurants. Vouchers have no cash value.
• Free Internet Access in guest rooms, meeting rooms, and public spaces.
• Great Location for your hotel room. The AFSA room blocks are located just steps away from all the meeting spaces.
The AFSA group rate is $254 plus tax for a standard single/double room. Group rates are available for stays September 14-26, 2021. The AFSA room rate includes the resort fee and free parking. To receive full AFSA hotel benefits, you must book directly with the hotel using reservation links at www.firesprinkler.org/AFSA40. Rooms must be reserved by August 13, 2021, to guarantee this special rate.
Registration Still Open!
Visit www.firesprinkler.org/AFSA40 to view the schedule, make hotel reservations, and register to attend. This special anniversary celebration will bring the best to Texas and gather the industry’s finest. We can’t wait to welcome y’all
EDITOR’S NOTE: Don’t let your reservation be hijacked! AFSA is aware of third-party vendors soliciting AFSA exhibitors and attendees posing as our housing vendors. These companies mislead you to think they are working on our behalf. Companies that use this tactic include Exhibitor Hotel Reservation Services (EHRS) and Global Housing. They are NOT endorsed by or affiliated with AFSA nor its show, and entering into financial agreements with such companies can have costly consequences like no free networking meals nor complimentary internet access. To receive full AFSA hotel benefits, you must book directly with the hotel by using reservation links at www.firesprinkler.org/AFSA40.
