It’s here! One of the most important weekends of the year! Every Memorial Day weekend, Muslims across the country gather in Baltimore, Maryland to attend the annual ICNA- MAS Convention, one of the largest gatherings of Muslims in the country. This weekend is fun for the entire family! It’s a great opportunity to make new friends and meet up with the old. The weekend also goes by way too quickly, so make sure you have a game plan. With that being said, here is a brief guide to the ICNA Convention.
Before you get there:
Make sure you and your family are registered for the convention.
To avoid confusion, long wait times, and to get right down to the fun, register online, and pick up your badges at the front door in person. You may have to wait in line to pick them up, but it’ll be a lot quicker, trust us.
Scope out parking options:
ICNA Convention has partnered with 3 parking garages to offer special prices on parking. Baltimore is a major city, so parking can be hard to find and expensive.
To find the Parking lots, you can click this link and see which makes the most sense to you.
Hotels, and Stays:
There are also hotels available, but those sell out quickly. If you haven’t made a reservation yet, you can check out some of the surrounding areas to find non-affiliated hotels and walk, or rideshare services to attend events
Please keep in mind that walking alone at night in Baltimore may be risky, as in all major cities. Please take precautions, and don’t engage in any risky behaviors.
What To Pack:
The ICNA-MAS Convention is a 3 day event, so pack 3 days worth of toiletries and clothing.
The dress code is modest, for both men and women. Please dress appropriately knowing that the event will be a mixed gathering and that the only place that will be segregated is the musalla, and some gender-specific programming.
Bring a backpack to carry around water, snacks, a notebook, or your shopping.
Halal food will be available, but if you have other nutritional needs, we would recommend bringing some snacks in case what you need is difficult to find.
The Day Of:
Enter the convention center through the Pratt Street entrance to get your badges and registration.
To enter through any other entrance, you will need a badge to be allowed in.
Go up the escalator or stairs to find the registration booth. This is where you will receive the official program, with all the sessions and parallel sessions listed, and their locations named.
If you are in need of child care, make a left, and find the child care centers and Young Muslim Junior programming all the way in the back.
To find parallel sessions, you can make a right from the registration booth, and go past the tunnel. Rooms will be marked, and you will be able to find the corresponding number on the program.
To go to the bazar, head down the stairs, and go into the basement of the convention center. There, you will find the bazar, and towards the left, you will find the musalla, and further down, the main hall where all the main sessions will be held.
Scope the Program:
The ICNA Convention boasts a lot of cool programs, including talks, debate competitions, quran competitions, a health fair, a dawah workshop, and more.
You can also download the ICNA MAS convention app on the app store to access the complete program and any urgent updates.
Scope the program to find what you want to do, and figure out how to make it from program to program.
Pencil in snack breaks and leave an hour or two for lunch. Lines are long so be prepared!
Take Notes:
This weekend is full of gems and goes by fast! Bring a notebook and pens to make the most of your time.
Visit Us
Throughout the day, ICNA CSJ will be hosting sessions about social justice and the American Muslim Experiance. Please visit us and hear from staff, board members, and partners.
We will also be available to chat at the bazaar at booth number 416.
Visit us, and talk about your ideas and what social justice means to you.
The Aftermath
After the weekend is over, make sure you follow up with the new friends you’ve made.
Read over your notes, and keep yourself in a state of spiritual growth.
Make sure to keep up with the organizations you loved on social media, and follow them for more events and opportunities.
We are so excited to see you all this weekend, and can’t wait to grow the ICNA CSJ family.
