The Avonlea Convention (AvCon) is a grassroots, fan-organized event meant to bring other fans of the television series Road to Avonlea together to meet with those who worked on this beloved series. The inaugural convention was held the weekend of July 24 and 25, 2004, at Black Creek Pioneer Village in Toronto, Ontario; and a second one took place in the same location on the weekend of July 29-31, 2005.

Here, from the first year of the convention, is Kevin Sullivan’s  congratulatory message to the committee: 

August 4th, 2004

"I can't tell you how pleased I was to see your Conference turn out to be such a success. You had amazingly glorious weather and the people who attended were absolutely delightful. It was sincerely a pleasure for me to participate. The discussion brought back many old memories. Funny thing is when I produce shows I immediately forget all about them. I only recall highlights. The clearing out of the mind in the creative process. It was wonderful to get a glimpse of Avonlea again through fresh eyes, because of the enthusiasm of all of you! My kids were all of a sudden interested in what I was doing and asked to screen some episodes at home Saturday evening. And they enjoyed themselves to boot!! So you see they got over their disinterest... greatly boosting my self-confidence at story-telling when sometimes it lags at home.

In any case I thank you and your associates for being so impressively organized, well-informed and passionate. I do hope other fans learn about it and you have an opportunity to do it again. Your enthusiasm was quite infectious. The other cast members who were unable to make it may be charmed into it, another year, by the likes of those who were able to come.

wish you all the best. It was wonderful to connect.

Please extend my best …Fondly, Kevin Sullivan"

The AvCon Committee is pleased to announce our third convention in Toronto will take place in July 2007. After holding conventions in 2004 and 2005, it was decided to go onto a rotation of every other year. Why? To build interest in the convention, to give those wishing to attend the time to make all of their financial and travel plans and to ensure that actors who might be working one summer, but are not working the next, might be able to participate in the AvCon experience.

The schedule for AvCon07 is as follows:

Day One ~ Friday, July 27

We will begin our day with Location Manager, Dan Matthews. We will have a tour of Sullivan Entertainments Studio and back lot.

From 3 to 5 on Friday we will be touring Spadina House (Spadina Museum) were we will have a tour of the grounds and house, then have tea in the garden room - where Gus, Felicity, Felix and Charlotte Ames had tea in "The Return of Gus Pike". Dan Matthews will do a presentation at Spadina House ... telling us about filming done here. Spadina was used as Captain Ames House in the Return of Gus Pike, and the back of Spadina House was used at the sanatorium where Rachel Lynde was taken after she had a stroke.

Day Two ~ Saturday, July 28
At Black Creek Pioneer Village, we will have visits from actors and others who have been involved with Road to Avonlea over the years.

Day Three ~ Sunday, July 29
At the Royal Ontario Museum (our designated charity for the year), we will have our charity auction of Avonlea- and cast-related memorabilia.
Invitations to be guest speakers at AvCon 2007 have been sent to Avonlea actors, composers and writers. To date, Michael Mahonen (Gus Pike) and James O'Regan (Constable Jeffries) are scheduled to appear Saturday at Black Creek Pioneer Village, work schedules permitting. Appearances by John Welsman and Ian D. Clark (Simon Tremayne) are anticipated. We will have more information for you as it becomes available.

We hope to see you all in Toronto, July 27-29th at AvCon07!

Please note the registration deadline is July 10th for Friday's events and July 18th for Saturday's events. If you are registered for both days, the deadline is July 10th. After July 10th, you may not attend Friday's events; due to cancellation fees, only paid attendees may do so. After July 18--if you plan to come on Saturday only--you will have to register at the door.
Website (including link to online registration)

www.avonleaconvention.org/

Link to Royal Ontario Museum for details of Sunday’s program