The Gerard Butler Fan Convention & Charity Gala, June 7-9, 2012, at the Las Vegas Hotel and Casino (formerly the Las Vegas Hilton), in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Easy! Simply complete the registration form and remit payment of the $100 deposit or full payment. For more information, check out the Registration tab.

The fee for this year’s convention is $285.00, until January 31, 2012. On February 1, 2012, the rate will increase to $299.00. Our special group rates for the Las Vegas Hotel and Casino (formerly the Las Vegas Hilton) start as low as $79 per night!

Two nights of sit-down dining, with a fully-catered 3-course meal, which includes a choice of water, iced tea and coffee. (Soft drinks and alcoholic drinks may be purchased at the bar located in the ballroom); decorations, audio and lighting equipment, goodie bags, t-shirts, hospitality suite, etc. Attendees are responsible for securing their own transportation to and from the Convention, room accommodations and all food and drinks not otherwise provided in connection with Friday and Saturday evening events.

Due to catering and other planning restrictions, no registrations will be accepted after May 18, 2012. There will be no registrations “at the door.”

May 18, 2012.

Your spot will be given to the next person on the waiting list and your deposit and/or registration fee will be considered “forfeited.” Funds generated by early registration are used to make deposits necessary to secure convention facilities and services. For this reason, there will be no refund of forfeited deposits.

Yes. In the “memo/notes” section of your chosen form of payment, please indicate the names of those individuals covered by your payment.

Unfortunately, we are only prepared to accept two payments on behalf of each attendee – the deposit and the remaining balance.

Please understand that as soon as early registration fees are collected, we make deposits on the various convention facilities and services. In an earnest attempt to keep registration fees as low as possible, the Convention is, for all intents and purposes, a NON-PROFIT venture. A $50.00 processing fee will be assessed for deposit refund requests placed by March 1, 2012. ABSOLUTELY NO REFUNDS WILL BE TENDERED AFTER MARCH 1, 2012.

Simply call the Las Vegas Hotel and Casino (formerly the Las Vegas Hilton), toll-free at (888) 732-7117, and make reservations! Payment of one night’s room rate will be required at the time of booking. Be sure to provide the group code, “GALS Charitable Foundation” at the time of booking. This ensures that you receive the group room rate and that the convention meets its contractual obligations.

Although providing the group code does not guarantee your room will be blocked with other attendees, it does help the hotel prepare for our arrival. If you desire to room next to other attendees, when you make your reservation, it is suggested that you ask the clerk to mark your “record” with the request to be blocked with other conventioneers.

Of course! While trying to defray costs, many attendees have made great new friends by rooming with others. Check back often. We’ll post a link which will enable those seeking to share a room to communicate easily with those similarly situated.

Husbands are invited to all convention events as long as they are registered attendees. (Yes, some brave “significant others” attend each year!) Check out our popular “Companion Pass”! Unfortunately, children are not allowed. All attendees must be at least 21 years of age.

We have a special rate for “Companion Passes” which entitles the companion of a full-fee registrant to participate only in the evening events. (Companions do not receive tshirts or goodie bags, etc.)

We also offer a “Gala Night Package” which provides admission to our Saturday night “Masquerade Gala” and a goodie bag (which includes a convention tshirt).

A deposit of $100 is required to secure a Companion Pass or Gala Night Package and is subject to the terms and conditions of a full-fee registrant.

Heck no! THE MORE THE “GERRIER”!.

The theme for the 7th Annual Gerard Butler Fan Convention & Charity Gala is “Masquerade!” with rich tones of black, gold, silver and cream. Attendees are encouraged to don Masquerade-themed costumes or dress on Saturday night, but such participation is not required. (Many attendees simply dress nicely, while others go “all out”). This convention is for you. Participate in a way that brings you the most joy!

We’ve found one attendee’s description speaks for itself:

Let me just say that we’re all a little nervous the first time out. I remember the look on my husband’s face, back in 2006, when I said, “I’m going to Vegas, BY MYSELF, from June 8th to the 11th — you’ll need to take care of the kids.” As my hubby travels a LOT on business and I’m often stuck home “single parenting,” he knew better than to protest!

I couldn’t believe that I found myself 40 and flying to spend a weekend in Vegas with people I’d only known “online.” What the heck was I doing?! I didn’t want to “chance” spending the weekend with someone I didn’t like, so I made sure I had a room all to myself. My approach was that in the event I did, in fact, meet up with a bunch of loonies, my worst case scenario was that I’d spend the weekend, BY MYSELF, sleeping and reading and watching movies in a nice hotel room — which sounded like a great “consolation prize”!

Turns out, I barely spent time in that room as we all seemed to band together in what was one big, moving party! (There is simply NOTHING LIKE spending two days with 100 women (and a few supportive hubbys/boyfriends) that KNOW what it is to gush over Gerard Butler — no answering that horrible question: “Gerry who?” … no justifying your time online when you should be doing laundry … no strange looks from family members … no misunderstandings when you try to convey how that one certain picture/scene/phrase makes you tingle. We GET THE GERRY JUICE, man! It’s extremely liberating in an odd way.

Imagine yourself conversing casually over dinner, with images of Gerry (6ft tall and in every “flavor” available) projected, in a continuous loop, on a screen in the background. NOW, imagine yourself giggling because you get tickled at how the WHOLE room will literally gasp at certain images. Then, after we catch our collective breath, it starts all over again – until we start dancing. And EVERYBODY dances! We have wheelchaired gals dancing. We have gals on oxygen dancing. We have “fluffy” gals that “haven’t danced since they were kids” dancing, even if it’s just to sway from foot to foot, and swear they’re having the time of their lives! Then we all STOP dancing to gawk at yet another image of Gerry, squeal in unparalleled delight, and start dancing again. We sing; we tell jokes; we auction and raffle cool stuff for a WONDERFUL charity; we have FUN and fellowship! We laugh until we pee! And that’s just Friday night!!

Since that glorious 1st Annual Convention in 06, my hubby has taken to joining me. I guess he’s figured that after 3 years, this isn’t a “passing phase” and he’d rather be in on the fun! (Plus, he appreciates the charity aspect of the event). Each year we get a few more hubbies joining us and we really stroke their egos, making sure they know we’re all so impressed with their support, understanding and patience when it comes to our obsession. Many of us use the opportunity to show “skeptical spouses” that most of us truly do come from “normal” backgrounds.

Vegas is what I do for ME! It’s my one time to meet with all the people I’ve been chatting with online during the course of the year. Each convention seems to have that one magical moment that distinguishes itself from the rest — from the first convention where Gerry looked Bethy in the eyes as she FINALLY got to say “thank you,” to 07?s heart-wrenching rendition of “I Did It Anyway” by Songbird, to 08?s special guest appearance by Martin Delaney and the presentation of the first “Rising Phoenix Award,” to 09?s experience with The Shade Tree. I’ve NEVER regretted my first convention and I’ve yet to meet anyone else able to say differently.

Past attendees have participated in special screenings of Gerry’s films, book signings by various authors, silent auctions, computer graphics and video-making workshops, scrapbooking, shopping amongst tables set up by various artisans offering everything from crafts, to jewelry, to fine art. In 2008, we started visiting The Shade Tree in order to help out for a few hours – this “field trip” inevitably ends up being the highlight of almost everyone’s weekend.

A Convention Program will be included with the goodie bags distributed at registration. You can attend some, all or none of the daytime convention activities. There will be scheduled “free time” for those who wish to venture out without fear of “missing something good” back at the hotel.

Comfy clothes for hanging out in the desert in the middle of June. “Dressy-casual” clothes for Friday’s dinner. Masquerade-themed clothes should you desire to wear a costume to Saturday’s Gala.

Although Mr. Butler will be invited to the convention, his attendance is neither expected nor anticipated.