Celebrating 40 Years of FGS!

At this year's conference in Springfield, Illinois, FGS will be celebrating 40 years of community and growth!

We have a long history focused on connecting the world of genealogy, learning new techniques and skills together, and providing the tools to succeed. We cannot wait to share this history with you at the 40th Anniversary Gala on Friday evening.

This year's event will play host to the first ever FGS Family History Quest, and we hope you are ready for an evening of fun and long lasting memories. With J. Mark Lowe as our emcee, you can basically guarantee that we are all in for a very exciting evening. Stroll down memory lane with us as we present the opportunity to test your knowledge - and your creativity! We are thrilled to be giving away over $25,000 in prizes to Gala participants.

Gala prizes have been contributed from:

• Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, Findmypast.com and MyHeritage.com
• Midwest Genealogy Center
• YourDNAGuide.com
• RootsTech
• Family ChartMasters
• and more! 

The Gala is not your only chance to celebrate with us, however. Each day of the conference, we will offer a question to both on-site attendees and those watching on social media, and we're inviting everyone to share their favorite memory, favorite moment, favorite element of FGS history with us. Watch our social media channels on Facebook and Twitter, and the hashtag #FGS40th, each day of the conference for our prompts. If you will be in Springfield with us, visit the expo hall to add your memories to our story.

We're on a quest to celebrate forty years - we hope you will celebrate with us!

FGS Announces Upcoming Events for 2015 and 2016

2013 FGS National Conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

FGS Hosts 2015 Alaskan Cruise, 2015 New York Regional Conference, and 

Celebrates Its 40th Anniversary in Springfield, Illinois in 2016 

The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) is excited to announce its upcoming events lineup, which includes a 2015 FGS Alaskan Cruise, August 28th - September 4th; a 2015 New York Regional Conference in Syracuse in conjunction with the New York State Family History Conference, September 17th-19th; and the 2016 FGS National Conference in Springfield, Illinois, August 31st – September 3rd.

2015 Alaskan Cruise 
Join your friends and fellow genealogists on the first FGS Cruise in the fall of 2015. This 
event promises to deliver a memorable vacation and education from leading 
genealogists on a variety of topics. Watch for additional information in late 2014. 

2015 New York Regional Conference 
The New York State Family History Conference returns to Syracuse, New 
York September 17-19, 2015. Organized by the New York Genealogical and 
Biographical Society and the Central New York Genealogical Society, the second 
biennial conference has expanded to include three tracks of lectures, a significant 
increase in attendance, and an enlarged space that will accommodate many more 
exhibitors and societies of interest to attendees. One of the conference focal points is 
researching New York families, a pursuit that offers unique challenges and requires 
special techniques and knowledge; the other focal point is building general research 
skills. In 2015, the event will be hosted as a regional conference of the Federation of 
Genealogical Societies (FGS) who will provide topics and events for genealogical 
society leaders and volunteers as part of the conference's activities. 

2016 National Conference 
Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Federation of Genealogical Societies as we return 
to Illinois in 2016. Hosted in the Land of Lincoln, the 2016 conference will feature the 
latest news and updates from the family history community, a full exhibit hall, the 
popular Society Showcase, and sessions related to the Midwestern states, research 
methods, and other topics. 

FGS President D. Joshua Taylor states, “As we watch our organizations meet the needs 
of today's genealogists, we are delighted to offer a variety of activities for 2015 and our 
return to Springfield for our 40th Anniversary in 2016.” 

Currently, registration is open for the Federation’s 2014 National Conference, “Gone to 
Texas,” to be held in San Antonio, Texas, August 27th-30th. Further, the Federation has 
a Call for Papers for its 2015 National Conference, “Connect. Explore. Refresh.” to be 
held concurrently with Rootstech in Salt Lake City, Utah, February, 11th-14th.