Welcome to the Aurora Summit: Celebrating the Art, Culture, Science, and Photography of the Aurora Borealis!
Aurora Summit 18 is the leading conference on Northern Lights in the U.S., offering presentations on the art, culture, science, and photography of the Aurora Borealis. Mike Shaw Photography, LLC, in partnership with Melissa Kaelin and Dixie Burbank, will hold the Aurora Summit from Nov. 2 - 4, 2018, in Two Harbors, Minnesota.
Join us for an exciting weekend on Lake Superior's shore featuring the Northern Lights! Some events may be subject to change. Lodging is not included in registration. Please register by Oct. 1, 2018.
Grab Your Gear and Look North!
Held at Superior Shores Resort & Conference Center, the 2nd Annual Aurora Summit is packed with awesome opportunities! The venue is located along Lake Superior's shore, with a northward-facing pebble beach on the property. From the moment you arrive, you'll find countless ways to admire nature, enjoy photography, and make new connections.
Will we see the Aurora Borealis? The natural phenomenon is extremely hard to predict, and there's no way to guarantee it will appear during the event. If the Northern Lights do appear, we'll be in one of the best places in the continental U.S. to catch a display. During the summit, you'll also receive expert advice to help you capture the Aurora on your own.
Whether you enjoy the educational sessions, spend your nights watching the sky, or relax on Lake Superior's shore, you're sure to have a great time. Take a look!
Become Part of the Adventure
Aurora Summit 18 will feature a variety of activities surrounding the Northern Lights, bringing in nationally known experts to shine new light on this rare phenomenon. Part conference and part festival, the Aurora Summit attracts people from all experience levels, inviting guests to become part of the adventure through photography, storytelling, travel companion meet-ups, and interactive highlights! The conference will include:
• Educational sessions
• Panel discussion
• Travelogue
• Banquet featuring the Aurora Slideshow
• Swag, raffled prizes and more!
As part of the summit, four breakout sessions will be offered on topics related to Aurora Borealis and Night Sky Photography.
When you register, you'll have the opportunity to select four sessions to attend – one from each set listed below. New this year, sessions are rated Beginner (B), Intermediate (I) or Advanced (A).
The 55-minute sessions will be held between 8am and 5pm on Saturday, with various presenters. The sessions are organized by the time of day when they will be offered, with three sessions occurring during each time slot. Sessions may be subject to change.
SESSION I
1) Basics for Night Sky Photography (B)
2) From Apps to Kp: Aurora Forecasting for Beginners (B)
3) 10 Keys to Gain a Social Media Following (I)
SESSION II
1) Essential Software and Apps for Aurora Chasers and Photographers (B)
2) Aurora Culture and Mythology (B)
3) The Juno Mission and Jupiter’s Aurora (B)
SESSION III
1) Aurora Borealis: A Photographer’s Guide (I)
2) Meet STEVE: The Aurora Getting All the Attention (I)
3) Aurora from Satellites Above and Photographers Below (I)
SESSION IV
1) Deep Sky with Your D-SLR: Getting the Right Camera Gear (I)
2) Establishing an International Dark Sky Park (B)
3) No Aurora Yet? Camera Techniques to Capture Elusive Light (A)
For the full conference schedule, visit TheAuroraSummit.com. The summit opens with registration at 2pm on Friday, and closes with a farewell at 12:30pm Sunday.
Opportunities After Hours
If you're interested, there will be time for you to enjoy other activities on your own, before and after each conference day. Located on the property of the host hotel, Superior Shores Beach in Flood Bay offers a pebble beach perfect for viewing and photographing the Northern Lights. Opportunities after hours include:
• Sunrise Photography on Lake Superior's North Shore
• Rock Beach Bonfire at Superior Shores
• Night Photography, Aurora Chasing & Light Painting*
Don't miss this opportunity to enjoy a weekend packed with events featuring Aurora and the Night Sky!
* Due to the risks involved, we will not offer Steel Wool Spinning as part of this event.
Aurora Summit Banquet & Included Meals
Full admission includes dinner on Friday and Saturday, as well as a box lunch** on Saturday. For those interested in breakfast, a buffet will be offered in the hotel restaurant at an extra cost. Breakfast is not included this year, but a breakfast buffet will be available for an added cost in the hotel restaurant, which is on the second floor. A cash bar will also be available Friday and Saturday evening.
With many distinctive features, the banquet will be held in the Superior Shores Ballroom on Saturday evening. The banquet is held in a beautiful setting, but we don't consider it a formal occasion. So, come as you are! It's a great opportunity to make connections and share your experiences! The banquet will include:
• Keynote Speaker Mary Stewart Adams
• Aurora Slideshow, featuring your submissions
• Choice of one of three catered meals with dessert
• Bar service will be available at an added cost
Dinner choices come with a house salad, bread and coffee service, and they also include dessert.
Choose from one of three plated dishes:
• Pork Porterhouse Steak — A 10-ounce cut, broiled and topped with an apple black jack sauce, served with herb roasted red potatoes.
• Chicken Minnesota — Boneless chicken breast stuffed with a mix of Minnesota wild rice, served with a wild mushroom sauce and roasted red potatoes.
• Pasta Aglio Olio — A vegetarian dish made with gluten free pasta, olive oil, lemon, fresh herbs and veggies, and cream free butter. **
** If you have special dietary needs, please choose this option when you make a dinner selection for the banquet. This plated dinner is vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, dairy, and nut free. Lunch on Saturday will consist of box lunches. We will provide vegetarian options for those who indicate dietary needs, however there is no gluten-free option for lunch.
Summit Perks and Apparel
Take advantage of all that we have to offer at the Aurora Summit! As a registered guest, we invite you to:
• COMING SOON! Order apparel and gear before the conference
• Submit a photo to the Aurora Slideshow
• Get involved in one of many ways, from sponsors and vendors to panelists and volunteers
• Win prizes in social media contests
• Win Aurora Awards or raffle prizes during the event
For more information, visit TheAuroraSummit.com.
Lodging & Camping
Guests are responsible for booking their own lodging. Rooms at the host hotel will sell out fast! We've reserved a block of rooms at Superior Shores Resort, at a discount for Aurora Summit guests. The two-night reservation requirement has been waived for lodge rooms only; other rooms require a two-night minimum. Until rooms sell out, these rates are available for the evenings of Friday, Nov. 2 and Nov. 3, 2018:
Guest Lodge Rooms...........$79/unit/night
Superior Lodge Rooms.......$89/unit/night
Jacuzzi Rooms.....................$129/unit/night
One Bedroom Suites..........$149/unit/night
To get the discount, call Superior Shores at 1-800-242-1988 and mention the "Aurora Summit." These rates are not available online. A deposit for the first night will be required to hold the reservation. The listed rates are subject to a resort service and state sales tax.
Make your reservations now! The event takes place in a popular tourism destination, and the rooms will be released to the public one month before the event. There are many other hotels and lodging options in the area, including Grand Superior Lodge, Country Inn and AmericInn in Two Harbors, nearby lodges, cabins, campgrounds and many other options.
The closest Minnesota State Parks with campgrounds include Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, Gooseberry Falls State Park and Tettegouche State Park, but there are many others in the region.
Frequently Asked Questions
To read the FAQ, please visit TheAuroraSummit.com.
An event hosted by Mike Shaw Photography.
