NOTE: Media may check in at the registration desk at the Duke Energy Convention Center. All convention events are open to the media. However, only the first three minutes of Ron Paul’s comments may be recorded or filmed.

CINCINNATI, OH, April 2, 2013 — Cincinnati will host the Midwest Homeschool Convention April 4-6 at the Duke Energy Convention Center for the fifth consecutive year. Notable guest speakers include Ron Paul, Dick Morris, Tim Hawkins and Gianna Jessen.

The convention is open to the public with individual admission cost starting at $40. Tickets for Ron Paul’s keynote at 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 6 must be bought separately with cost starting at $6. Attendees can register on site or at www.CincinnatiHomeschoolConvention.com.

The three-day event is expected to attract more than 15,000 attendees. More than 3,000 hotel rooms are contracted for the event and the convention is estimated to bring more than $1 million in direct visitor spending to the region. The Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, Millennium Hotel Cincinnati, Hyatt Regency, Garfield Suites, Springhill Suites, Hampton Inn Riverfront, Holiday Inn Riverfront and Radisson Hotel are host hotels. Historically the event has attracted speakers including Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar (2011) and Mike Huckabee (2012).

Event highlights and photo opportunities include:

Thursday, April 4

• 2 - 9 p.m. Registration Desk Open (Duke Energy Convention Center)
• 6 - 9 p.m. Exhibit Hall Open (Duke Energy Convention Center)
  Features more than 300 exhibitors including regional universities and homeschool curriculum publishers.
• 8 - 9 p.m. Gianna Jessen (Duke Energy Convention Center Grand Ballroom)
  Internationally-renowned motivational speaker Gianna Jessen shares her story of being born with cerebral palsy after surviving an abortion procedure. Gianna was then adopted and homeschooled. Her story recently inspired the film October Baby.

Friday, April 5

• 8 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. Registration Desk Open (Duke Energy Convention Center)
• 9:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. Exhibit Hall Open (Duke Energy Convention Center)
• 8:30 – 9:30 p.m. Tim Hawkins (Duke Energy Convention Center Grand Ballroom)
  Christian comedian, songwriter and singer Tim Hawkins performs more than 100 concerts throughout the country per year.

Saturday, April 6

• 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Registration Desk Open (Duke Energy Convention Center)
• 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Exhibit Hall Open (Duke Energy Convention Center)
• 1 - 2 p.m. Dick Morris (Duke Energy Convention Center Room 200-205)
  Veteran political commentator and New York Times best-selling author Dick Morris presents “Homeschooling – The Ultimate Education Reform.”
• 8 - 9 p.m. Dr. Ron Paul (Duke Energy Convention Center Grand Ballroom)
  Retired Texas Representative, 2008 Republican presidential nominee and homeschool advocate Dr. Ron Paul will give a keynote presentation citing the role homeschooling  plays in restoring limited government.

Click here for a full list of exhibitors and click here for a full schedule of events.

The Midwest Homeschool Convention is one of two events produced by Cincinnati-based Great Homeschool Conventions, Inc. this year. The Southeast Homeschool Convention was held in Greeneville, S.C. March 16-17.

 “The Midwest Homeschool Convention has quickly become a staple on Cincinnati’s convention calendar, spurred by local people who want to make a difference in our community,” said Dan Lincoln, president and CEO of the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB). “The growing event continuously draws world-class speakers and we are proud to host this unique dialogue in this accessible and dynamic destination.”

Through unprecedented urban development and strong regional collaboration, Cincinnati USA experienced a breakthrough year in 2012. The CVB, in partnership with our hotel partners, booked more than 205,000 hotel room nights representing more than $61 million in future visitor spending. In 2013, Cincinnati will host nearly 150 conventions totaling nearly 190,000 contracted hotel room nights and an estimated $56 million in direct visitor spending.

About Great Homeschool Conventions, Inc.
Great Homeschool Conventions works directly with the National Center for Life and Liberty to promote and produce annual Homeschool conventions in Ohio, South Carolina, California. Click here for more information.

About the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau is an aggressive sales, marketing and service organization whose primary responsibility is to positively impact Hamilton County's and the City of Cincinnati's economy through convention, trade show and visitor expenditures. The travel and tourism industry traditionally has been a $4.1 billion industry in Cincinnati USA, employing 94,000 people in a variety of fields and bringing 22.7 million visitors to the region in 2011. Click here for more information.

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