We are approaching the final countdown to RootsTech 2026. There are only a little over 5 days until the first online events start beginning on Wednesday at 4:00pm MST. There will be a total of 510 new classes presented in several languages. The English language selections include 362 presentations with 246 in-person, 65 webinars, and 50 on demand topics. With all of these presentations available it is important to set a schedule for yourself so you can attend your favorite presentations. I will provide an example of my schedule for each day below but you will notice that some sessions I have more than one talk assigned. I won't be attending both presentations but it gives me an opportunity to see which one seems to interest me more at the time. Also, I have filled each session with at least one presentation but with everything that I need to do during RootsTech I will likely miss about half of those sessions. So, make a schedule but be flexible so you can enjoy the Expo Hall or anything else you encounter during RootsTech.
Wednesday, March 4
The first keynote speakers, The Gardiner Brothers, world-renowned Irish dancers, will discuss their Irish roots live from Ireland at 4:30pm MST. At 7:00pm MST the second keynote speaker, José Hernández, will talk about his NASA experience and his migrant roots. And at 9:30pm the third virtual keynote speaker, Jessica Soho, will talk about her 40-year journalism career and uncovering her family history. There will also be a series of virtual talks every 30-minutes between 4:00pm and midnight. For more details on these presentations visit https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/schedule?day=2026-03-04.
For me, this day will include getting my RootsTech badge, doing some research in the FamilySearch library, running through a tech check in the rooms I will be speaking in, setting up The Family History Guide booth, helping to set up the International Institute of Genealogical Studies booth, getting a guided tour of the Expo Hall, and attending the media and speakers events in the evening.
Thursday, March 5
The in-person events will begin on Thursday, March 5 with 136 presentations online and in-person. Virtual sessions begin at midnight and run throughout the day while in-person sessions begin at 8:00am MST. There are generally about 20 in-person sessions each class period.
My schedule for Thursday includes the following presentations:
- 8:00am - Power Hour: The Power of Process: From Clues to Conclusions
- 9:30am - AI-Powered Transcription of Handwritten Documents: What's New in 2026
- 11:00am - RootsTech 2026 General Session 1 - Marlee Matlin and Steve Rockwood
- 1:30pm - Civil and Parish Records in Italy: From the Council of Trent to the 20th Century
- 1:30pm - What’s New at Ancestry®
- 3:00pm - I will be presenting Discovering German Church Records in room 255BC
- 4:30pm - Genealogy, Upgraded: AI and Smart Tools on MyHeritage
- The Expo Hall closes at 6:30pm.
- I will also have breakfast with one of the Platinum Sponsors and a meetup with the Association of Professional Genealogists.
- Each day I will also be performing my media responsibilities doing interviews, preparing social media content, and assisting at The Family History Guide booth.
The full schedule for Thursday can be found at https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/schedule?day=2026-03-05.
Friday, March 6
On Friday there will be 139 sessions online and in-person.
My schedule for Friday includes the following presentations:
- 8:00am - Digging Deeper into German Records
- 8:00am - Power Hour: The Power of Proof: Mastering the Five Steps of Record Evaluation
- 9:30am - Arriving at the Port of New York, 1890-1924
- 9:30am - RootsTech Innovation and Tech Forum 2026
- 11:00am - RootsTech 2026 General Session 2 - Tara Roberts
- 1:30pm - I will be presenting Location, Location, Location - Tracking Family History Through Land Records in room 150
- 3:00pm - AI-Powered Research Logs: From Chaos to Clarity in Your Genealogy Data
- 4:30pm - Beyond the Prompt: Take Your AI To The Next Level
- The Expo Hall closes at 6:00pm.
- Additionally, I will be participating in GeneaBlogger activities and attending a dinner with one of the Platinum Sponsors.
The full schedule for Friday can be found at https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/schedule?day=2026-03-06.
Saturday, March 7
On Saturday there will be 104 sessions online and in-person.
My schedule for Saturday includes the following presentations:
- 8:00am - I will be presenting Solving Family Mysteries with the FAN Method and Census Clues in room 255BC
- 9:30am - Find Your Relatives in NEW Ancestor Connector with 21,000 Individuals
- 9:30am - Genealogical Proof in Practice: Resolving Conflicts and Building Sound Conclusions
- 11:00am - RootsTech 2026 General Session 3 - Steve Young
- 1:30pm - Question Everything: Sharpen Evaluation, Avoid Assumptions, & Clarify Your Writing
- 3:00pm - Record-Breaking Records: MyHeritage’s Fastest-Growing Genealogy Record Collection
- This is take-down day and the Expo Hall closes at 3:00pm with the exhibitors taking down all of their displays immediately afterward.
Sunday, March 8
There will be some early morning online events where RootsTech will replay some of the keynote speakers and church leadership talks.
I will be getting some sleep, losing an hour because of the time change, and getting back to the airport to return home.
How does that sound for a few relaxing days at RootsTech? Just remember, you can set up your schedule any way you like. If you are attending in-person you could focus on the in-person only presentations and view the online presentations after you return home. Maybe you will spend more time in the Expo Hall talking to all of the exhibitors. Many of them have hourly classes at their booths along with raffles, gifts, and merchandise. Or maybe you will be networking and building friendships with the other attendees. Whatever you decide to do, be sure to make the most of your time and enjoy yourself as you attend the world's largest genealogy conference.
No comments:
Post a Comment