The stars are coming out for the 2008 RI Convention, and if you’re quick, you can catch them. “Tickets are already selling briskly for all of our entertainment events during the convention,” says Host Organization Committee (HOC) Chair Gerry Turner, of the Rotary Club of Los Angeles.

That’s not surprising. RI conventions in L.A. have always been able to attract top talent to entertain visiting Rotarians.

This year, the committee is putting on a great show with help from seven districts and 378 clubs. On the evening of Saturday, 14 June, reserved seats will await 6,500 of us at the California Experience, featuring an electrifying concert at the brand-new Nokia Theater. At the International Family Reunion, a host hospitality event on Monday evening, about 8,000 convention goers will have the chance to get to know local Rotarians. And on Tuesday, 17,000 will head to the Hollywood Bowl for a taste of movie classics at the Concert under the Stars.

If those sound like huge numbers, they are. But when you consider that 30,000 people or more are expected to attend the convention, you can see why Turner is urging Rotarians to order host event tickets early. There will also be great entertainment on two stages in the House of Friendship – one just for Rotarian talent – but don’t forget to take advantage of the other attractions L.A. has to offer.

California Experience and the Nokia Theater

Rotarians were the first group to reserve the new Nokia Theater, which sits across the street from the Staples Center. “We are closing the street for this between the Staples Center and the theater,” says Cozette Vergari, chair of the California Experience event and a member of the Rotary Club of Westchester (Los Angeles). “The plaza will be reserved for Rotary ticket holders only.”

Before the show, Rotarians will be served California wine and hors d’oeuvres created by famed chef Wolfgang Puck as they meet and mingle at a classic car show and enjoy entertainment on two stages. “The Nokia Plaza will look a little like Times Square,” says Vergari. At 7:30, everyone will head into the Nokia Theater. All that for $80 to $140, at a venue where seats have been selling for more than twice that much.

International Family Reunion

Thousands of Rotarians will meet new friends at dinners all over the Los Angeles area at the International Family Reunion, the convention’s host hospitality event. “For some, this is typically the highlight of the convention experience,” says Turner. Some far-flung clubs are combining efforts with those nearby to make sure no one has to travel more than an hour from the convention site.

“Clubs are designing their own events,” notes Barbara Sullivan, host hospitality chair and a member of the Rotary Club of Long Beach. “Some are doing a large event such as a dinner cruise, and some members are volunteering their homes.” The Rotary Club of Los Angeles will host an event at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and other clubs are planning dinners on the Queen Mary and at the Getty Center. “Whatever they do,” Sullivan says, “we want them to create an intimate feeling and let members get to know members.”

Once you sign up, you’ll be assigned to a reunion dinner; you’ll then get a welcome message from your host with information about the event. Sullivan notes that many lovely homes, some on the ocean, will be opened to visitors. “I think people will be surprised and delighted about the experience they will have,” she says. “This is an opportunity to create new relationships, and that’s what Rotary is all about.”

Concert under the Stars

You haven’t experienced L.A. until you’ve been to the Hollywood Bowl on a starlit evening. The amphitheater hugs a natural valley, and the sun sets directly behind it as you enjoy top-notch music. So it’s no wonder that Rotarians in 1922, 1962, and now 2008 have made a point to take in a night of entertainment there. In 1922, convention goers watched a silent movie being made as they ate a box lunch. In 1962, Ronald Reagan led a star-studded show that included Lawrence Welk’s orchestra.

This year, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra will take us back to the classic-film era, providing music to accompany clips from famous movies. During the concert, RI President Wilf Wilkinson will conduct the orchestra as it plays “O Canada.” In an auction, another Rotarian will win the chance to conduct in “The Star-Spangled Banner”; all proceeds will benefit The Rotary Foundation.

“This will be a great concert,” says John Miron, chair of the event and a member of the Wilshire Rotary Club of Los Angeles. “There is no better Hollywood experience. It’s a magical place.” The concert will conclude with a fireworks display featuring the Rotary emblem.

To round out their evening, convention goers are encouraged to buy a meal at the House of Friendship (or elsewhere) and bring it along with some wine to enjoy either at their seats or in one of 14 picnic areas around the bowl. Tickets start at $30, but box seats, which start at $250, include a gourmet dinner; those costing $500 also include wine from Patina, the company that supplies the Disney auditorium. “I think this will be a fantastic Rotary fellowship event,” notes Miron. “You’ll be able to talk to people from around the world.”

House of Friendship

The entertainment continues at the House of Friendship, billed as “where the world comes together.” It will be “unlike any other in the 98 years of RI conventions,” says Turner. For one thing, it will be vastly expanded. The Host Organization Committee is expecting 425 vendors, far surpassing the previous record of 125. There will be many comfortable places to sit and rest (or use the Internet cafes) along corridors set up as streets, including Rotary International Highway and Fellowship Lane. Translators will be on-site at all times.

Food carts along the streets will provide a convenient nosh, and ethnic cuisine will be featured in separate “small towns” organized by continent, where retailers from all over will display their wares. International clubs are encouraged to purchase booth space and bring along a vendor or two from their home countries. Rotary’s first 16 clubs have been invited to set up booths showcasing their centennial events.

Two performance stages will be another highlight of the House of Friendship. Throughout the convention, one will feature local entertainers, including musicians representing some of L.A.’s many ethnic groups. The other will spotlight performers of another kind: Rotarians. Sign up to showcase your talent by filling out the Rotary Stage Availability Form at www.rotary2008.com.

“You’ll be surprised at the opportunities and ease of finding your way around the House of Friendship,” promises Kermit Floyd, HOC operations chair, past governor of District 5260, and member of the Rotary Club of Burbank, who created its basic design. “We’re going to make sure that conventioneers really enjoy themselves and go away saying, ‘This was the best convention ever!’”