The Academy for Advanced and Challenge Enthusiasts (AACE)

The premier Square Dance Convention for Advanced and Challenge dancers.
Full-time Advanced (A2), C1, C2, C3A, and C3B halls.
Part-time C4 hall.
Most of the top names in challenge callers are on staff.
Held every year in June.
2021 Flyer

AACE in the News (The Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne) journalgazette.net

Date and Location

June 16 to 19, 2021
Dancing at: Grand Wayne Convention Center
120 W. Jefferson Blvd
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802

Host hotel: Courtyard Fort Wayne Downtown
1150 South Harrison Street
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802

Online Hotel Reservations
Reservations by phone: 1-260-490-3629 or 1-866-704-6163

The AACE block of rooms sells for $125/night plus tax with free Wi-Fi.

The convention center features low-nap carpeted ballrooms. Please plan accordingly.

When making reservations, please notify the hotel that you
are with the AACE Convention to get the $125/night room rate.
Registration opens 4:00 PM Wed., June 17

Dance times:

Wednesday (Trail-In): 8:00 PM - 10:30 PM

Thursday through Saturday: 10:00 AM - 10:30 PM (with lunch/dinner breaks)
Hotel Specifics
- The cutoff date for making a room reservation in the AACE block is ***???, 2021. All reservations must be made by this date.
- Hotel check-in time is 3:00 PM. Early check-in can be booked for $20.
- The hotel is 20-30 minutes from the airport and has a free shuttle.
- On-site parking is $4/spot/day; ample city parking
- Hotel rooms offer free WiFi, in-room microwaves, mini-fridges & iPod docking stations
- There are plenty of food and beverage places within walking distance.
- Conner's Kitchen + Bar is the hotel's on-site restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner, while Conner's Rooftop extends the bar atmosphere to the 7th floor of the Hampton Inn & Suites overlooking Parkview field and offers indoor or outdoor seating.
- There is a fitness center and a heated indoor pool.
- There is a business center with computers and printers, as well as copy and fax services.
- The dance halls in the convention center have low pile carpet or cement floors. AACE will provide packing tape for shoes.
- The Visit Fort Wayne website has a list of Things To Do and an extensive list of Fort Wayne Restaurants. There is also an interactive Map Explorer of the area.
Transportation Options
- Airlines which fly into Fort Wayne:
  - Allegiant - direct to Phoenix/Mesa, Orlando/Sanford, Tampa/St.Petersburg, Fort Myers/Punta Gorda, Myrtle Beach, SC (seasonally)
  - American - direct to Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago O'Hare and Charlotte
  - Delta - direct to Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis
  - United - direct to Chicago O'Hare and New York City/Newark
  - Southwest does not fly into Fort Wayne, but there are several low-cost ways to get from Indianapolis or Chicago Midway to Fort Wayne:
- Shuttles from Indianapolis or Chicago Midway to Fort Wayne:
  - Hoosier Shuttle, 260-469-8747, toll free 1-877-392-2463
  - Hoosier Ride, 1-800-544-2383
  - Greyhound, 1-800-231-2222
  - Wanderu, searches Amtrak, Greyhound, Megabus, and hundreds of other bus and train lines to find the best deals from $1 to 2000+ cities in North America.
  - Baron's Bus, 1-888-378-3823
  - Amtrak, 1-800-872-7245, also serves Indianapolis (but not Fort Wayne). The station is in the same building as the Greyhound station.
RV Parking Information
- Anyone planning on coming into Fort Wayne with a vehicle that cannot fit into a standard parking garage with standard heights and widths should make arrangements for on-street parking through the Permit Coordinator, Karen Butler at 260-427-6155.
- The cost for all on-street parking is a one-time fee of $35.00 for the permit and $10 per spot per day.
- The cut-off for all parking reservations is Friday, ***???, 2021. Anyone who does not make a reservation for one of the reserved spots needs to coordinate their own parking in downtown. It is strongly recommended not to try this.
- NOTE: Most meters in downtown are 2-hour meters. By City ordinance, a vehicle may park at one of these meters for 2-hours, and then must move. They may not "feed the meter" all day. Violators will be ticketed and potentially towed.
Camping Information
- Johnny Appleseed Campground is located at 1500 Harry Baals Drive, Fort Wayne, IN 46805 off of U.S. 930 (Coliseum Blvd.) in Johnny Appleseed Park in Fort Wayne along the scenic St. Joseph River. To reserve your spot call the Campground at 260-427-6720 during the campground's normal season from April 15-October 31. Office hours are daily from 9am to 7pm (EST) May-September, 9am to 6pm (EST) April and October.