Attendee Experience
Use the promo code VBSR2024 to receive a discounted parking rate at $1/hour for the day.
Room Capacity
Please note that the keynote and session rooms have a limited capacity and will be available on a first come, first serve basis. The keynote address will be live streamed into the Isthmus Room for overflow seating.
Location
Hula Lakeside, 50 Lakeside Ave, Burlington, VT 05401
Parking Location: 125 Lakeside Ave
We are hosting this conference at Hula Lakeside, a technology-driven co-working campus, business incubator, and venture capital fund focused on elevating Vermont-based start-ups and entrepreneurs. If you are an in-person ticket holder for this conference, you will have access to the public Hula workspaces for the day. Some of the work spaces you will see are reserved for Hula members only, so please observe all posted signage! If you have any questions, you are welcome to check in with the Hula staff at the front desk. If you require special accommodations then please contact mollyr@vbsr.org.
Check-in
When you enter Hula, you will find the VBSR check-in table in the lobby. You must purchase your ticket ahead of time. We are not prepared to sell tickets onsite.
Restrooms & Lactation Room
Hula has all-gender restrooms available in the front of the building. You will see directional signs pointing towards them to the right of the check-in table/entrance. Each bathroom stall has a private full-length door. Hand washing stations are communal and outside of the stalls. There is a lactation room available in these bathrooms as well. The lactation room is first come, first serve.
Exhibitor Tables
Along the eastern and western wings of the lobby we will have exhibitor tables. Be sure to check them out throughout the day for demonstrations, interactive art, and swag!
BIPOC Affinity Space with Vermont Professionals of Color
Location: Channel (follow signs from the lobby)
Time: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Enjoy music, refreshments and a mental break in an affinity space hosted by the Vermont Professionals of Color Network for those who identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color.
Reef Room
The Reef Room is on the first floor directly behind the check-in table. It will host three sessions on our main stage in addition to the Welcoming Remarks and Keynote Address. Seating in the Reef Room is limited to 180 attendees, so seating will be available on a first come, first served basis.
Isthmus Room
The Isthmus Room is on the first floor of Hula to the left of the check-in table. We will have three sessions in this room throughout the day. The Keynote speaker will also be live streamed into this room with overflow seating from 9:00 am - 10:15 am.
Sunset Room
The Sunset Room is on the second floor of Hula and features wrap around windows with an incredible view of Lake Champlain. We will have two interactive Innovation Labs in this room throughout the day. Please use the stairs on the west wing of the building to access the second floor and follow our directional signs to find the Sunset Room. Please note, unfortunately there is no elevator to access the second floor.
Food
Gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian options will be available for all meal offerings. We encourage you to bring a reusable water bottle and/or coffee cup to help us make this a low waste event.
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM | Complimentary coffee and tea will be served until 9:00 am, provided by Brio Coffeeworks! We will also have delicious complimentary breakfast bites provided by Sugarsnap Catering!
11:45 AM - 1:15 PM | Lunch Break
We encourage attendees to pre-purchase lunch as an "add-on" to their conference ticket. 100% of your lunch ticket price will go directly to Mulu's Kitchen & Catering, a BIPOC-owned business that offers delicious Eritrean and Ethiopian food throughout Vermont, and Cafe Mamajuana, serving Dominican Fusion food blending the flavors of their ancestral lineage. Options include healthy and filling dishes that include meat, vegan, and gluten-free dishes.
If you have inquiries about specific dietary restrictions, please contact mollyr@vbsr.org. If you decide not to purchase a lunch ticket, your other options include The Spot Cafe inside of Hula, Micro Mobile Kitchen who will be parked outside, or bringing your own lunch.
Be sure to stop by for some delicious drinks to pair with your lunch! You can find the Healthy Kingdom cart to get a free coconut as supplies lasts among the exhibitor tables. We will also have Tonique Mobile Bar in the lobby, who will bring sophisticated, non-alcoholic cocktails including:
Golden Hour: Pathfinder Hemp & Root, Fresh Lemon Juice, Ginger Beer
Rose Pamplemousse: Sparkling Rose, Giffard Pamplemousse Liqueur
Blueberry Lemon Drop: Amethyst Blueberry-Ginger, Abstinence Lemon Bittersweet, Lemon Juice, House-Made Blueberry Syrup
Classic G&T: Monday Gin, Fevertree tonic
Aperitivo Spritz: Bark & Bitter Novara Aperitivo, Joyous Sparkling White Wine, Sparkling Water
Black Velvet: Tenneyson Black Ginger, Pathfinder Hemp & Root, Tilden Bada Bing Cherry Juice, Bark & Bitter Orange Bitters
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM | Free Appetizers & Cash Bar during After Party
We will have a cash bar serving a variety of drinks, including beer, wine, cocktails and signature cocktails provided by Barr Hill. Both cash and cards will be accepted. We will also have Tonique Mobile Bar, who will bring sophisticated, non-alcoholic cocktails during the After Party (see drinks menu above).
Parking/Getting There
The visitor parking lot for Hula is in the front section at 125 Lakeside Avenue and guests can overflow into Hula Tenant Parking as needed. The parking lots are metered via license plate reading technology. For discounted parking rates please follow these steps:
1. Scan the QR codes that are shown on signage throughout the lot.
2. Use the promo code VBSR2024 for a discounted parking rate at $1/hour. Detailed instructions on how to redeem the promo code are available here.
3. If you want to pay for your parking ahead of time, you may do so here. Detailed instructions on how to pay for parking in advance are available here.
If you are able to carpool, we encourage you to do so via our carpool coordination spreadsheet.
Accessible parking is available adjacent to the building entrance at 50 Lakeside Avenue. These spots are first come, first serve.
Please note: Guests are STRONGLY DISCOURAGED from parking in the Lakeside Neighborhood side streets. Conger Ave, Central Ave, Wright Ave, and Harrison Ave are for resident parking only. Despite these streets being public, Hula tenants and guests are not permitted to park on these side streets to minimize neighborhood traffic and respect the neighbors who rely on access to street parking.
Guests will want to arrive 15-20 minutes early, as there is a short walk to the building's entrance and there may be a line at the check-in desk. From 125 Lakeside Avenue, cross the street and continue toward the lake. Hula is the large building on your right after the underpass. Enter at the main entrance (50 Lakeside Ave) and check in at the conference check-in table.
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT ROAD WORK NEARBY:
The Champlain Parkway Project is going on the roads leading to Hula, which may cause some roads to be a single lane with flaggers directing traffic. Please plan accordingly for possible delays and detours. The most up to date information about the construction can be found here at champlainparkway.com.
ADA/Accessible Parking at Hula
There is ADA Accessible parking available right outside the main entrance to Hula at 50 Lakeside Avenue. Please note, the first floor of Hula, where the majority of this event is taking place, is wheelchair accessible. The building does not have an elevator to the second floor, which will have at least two workshops in the Sunset Room.
Please contact mollyr@vbsr.org with any questions or requests regarding accessibility and accommodations.
EV Charging Stations
Hula has 10 EV charging stations, marked below in turquoise. If you are planning to use one of these spots, please plan to move your vehicle once it is fully charged to a spot in the lot at 125 Lakeside Ave.
Bus Routes
Closest Bus Stop - Pine Street at Lakeside Avenue (Cumberland Farms) - 0.3 miles away
Biking to Hula
Closest bike path - Island Line Trail - 0.0 miles away
Bike racks are available by the front entrance of Hula, both indoors and outdoors.
Accessibility & Accommodations
We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. Please inform us of any special accommodations you may require in order to participate in this event fully. You will have the opportunity to disclose accommodation requests when you purchase your ticket or you can email mollyr@vbsr.org with the subject "Conference Accommodation Request."