Celebrate the Newbery, Caldecott, and Legacy Award Winner!
Date and Location
Sunday, June 25, 2023 at the Chicago Hyatt Regency (151 E Wacker Dr)
General Information
Join ALSC for the annual celebration of the year's Newbery and Caldecott medalists and honorees, and the year's Legacy awardee! This highly-anticipated event brings together the ALSC community to celebrate excellence in children's literature. ALSC is excited to, once again, gather together in 2023. Here you can find information on:
Individual Tickets
Table Reservations
Table Prices
Event Schedule
Event FAQs
Individual Tickets
Individual tickets are available for purchase through ALA Conference registration at https://2023.alaannual.org/rates-and-registration. Individual ticket holders will find open seating at non-reserved tables. If you order 10 individual tickets from conference registration, you will be ordering 10 individual, open-seating tickets. Individual ticket holders who reserve their ticket before the conference will pick up their banquet ticket on their first day of the conference at registration. If you've already registered for Annual Conference but would like to add a banquet ticket to your registration, please email alaregistration@csreg.zohodesk.com.
Table Reservations
A pre-purchased table can accommodate up to 10 individuals and ensures that attendees will enjoy this exciting evening with their friends and colleagues. Table reservations and locations are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, so order soon to be close to the action make your reservation and payment as soon as possible! Tables are reserved through the ALSC Table Reservation Form. (Please note: individually-purchased tickets may not be applied toward the cost of the table.)
Q: How many seats are at each table?
A: Each pre-reserved table can accommodate up to 10 individuals. Open seating tables, for individual ticket holders, will have no more than 8 seats to a table.
Q: I want to sit with nine of my friends; can I purchase a table?
A: Yes! Anyone attending the Newbery-Caldecott-Legacy Awards Banquet may request a table. The table must be purchased as a whole (no partial table sales) and paid for in a single transaction. If you would like to host a table, simply recruit up to nine of your friends and/or colleagues who have not yet purchased individual tickets and purchase a table at one of the below levels in a single transaction. Please note: individually-purchased tickets may not be applied toward the cost of the table.
Q: I need two or more tables. Will they be located together?
A: ALSC makes every effort to locate tables together, as long as tables are ordered at the same time and pricing level. ALSC is not able to guarantee that tables at the same pricing level will be co-located if an additional table is ordered after your initial table order. Please note your co-location request in your table order form.
Q: How do I reserve my table?
A: Please purchase your table as soon as possible through the ALSC Table Reservation Form. Please note: tables are not considered reserved until payment is received.
Q: How do I request a vegetarian or other special meal?
A: Each table host will be sent an email in early June with instruction on making meal requests. Table hosts should pas the email instructions on to their table guests.
Q: How will I receive my table tickets?
A: In mid-June, the ALSC office will email you all 10 of your tickets with the table number printed on them. You can then distribute those tickets to your table guests, either in advance of conference or onsite at the banquet. Guests will need their ticket to be seated at a table and receive their meal.
Notable Table - $1,200
- Ten (10) tickets to the banquet dinner with guaranteed assigned seating
- Full slide in the banquet presentation, recognized as a Notable Sponsor
Silver Table - $1,900
- Ten (10) tickets to the banquet dinner with choice seating
- Full slide in the banquet presentation, recognized as a Silver Sponsor
- Post-event acknowledgment from ALSC in ALSC's newsletter
Gold Table - $2,500
- Ten (10) tickets to the banquet dinner with preferred seating
- Full slide in the banquet presentation, recognized as a Gold Sponsor
- Post-event acknowledgment from ALSC in ALSC's newsletter
- Post-event acknowledgment from ALSC in ALSC's journal, Children & Libraries
Newbery-Caldecott-Legacy Awards Banquet Schedule
Coming Soon!
Other Banquet FAQs
Q: Will there be open seating for this year's Newbery-Caldecott-Legacy Awards Banquet?
A: Yes! There will be theatre-style seating near the back of the room for conference-goers to sit and enjoy the speeches. These seats are free-of-charge (proof of conference registration is required, so bring your badge) and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. These seats will not be at banquet tables and, as such, will not receive meals; attendees who plan on utilizing the open theatre seats are encouraged to eat a large meal beforehand - it's a long, wonderful evening!
Q: Can I catch the Conference shuttle to the Hyatt Regency Chicago?
A: The conference shuttle will not be made available Sunday evening. If you are not staying at or within walking distance of the Hyatt, Chicago has excellent public transportation options, and ride-share services and taxis are readily available.
Q: Help! I've lost my ticket!
A: Please visit the registration desk, located upon entry to the the banquet reception area, as soon as possible upon your arrival. Your name will be verified against a roster, and you will be issued a replacement ticket to present to your server.
Q: Will tickets be available at the door?
A: Tickets will not be available for purchase at the door.
On occasion, a guest will not be able to attend. If far enough in advance, they may try to sell the ticket on ALSC social media sites, such as ALA Connect. We have also had situations where those who have extra tickets bring them to the information desk, free to the first person who inquires about extra tickets.
Q: Are there assigned seats? How do I find a seat?
A: Those who purchase an individual ticket are not assigned a seat. Those ticket holders may sit at any unreserved table. As a reminder, doors open at 6:30pm. Attendees will not be allowed in the room before this time, so ALSC and hotel staff can finish setting the room and making final preparations for this evening.
Those who purchased a table will receive a table assignment in advance, in addition to their table's tickets. For reserved tables, there will be an opportunity for one person to enter the banquet room early to assign seats and otherwise 'set' that table; ALSC will be in touch with all table purchases in June to schedule the logistics of placing seating arrangements for reserved tables.
Q: What should I wear?
A: The Newbery-Caldecott-Legacy Awards Banquet is a special, celebratory evening. Guests are encouraged to dress in cocktail attire. Please bring a wrap, sweater, or jacket, as the room is large and can be cool.
Q: I am a vegetarian. How do I request a vegetarian meal?
A: Guests who provided an email address when registering for their individual ticket will receive an email mid-June with a special web URL where they can place special meal requests. Table hosts will be asked to send the same email requests to their guests. Reminders for deadlines on special meal requests will be sent out in late May and early June, and will be determined based on catering deadlines.
Q: Is there a bar?
A: Yes, a cash bar will be open during the pre-event reception and in the back of the banquet room throughout the course of dinner.
Q: Will the authors/illustrators be signing books?
A: The Medalists and Honorees will not be signing books during the banquet. However, check the conference program guide - there is a good chance they will be signing in their publishers booth at some point during the conference!
Q: Will there be a receiving line?
A: No, there will be no receiving line in 2023. ALSC encourages attendees to check schedules at publishers' booth - creators often have book signings there!
Q: I have another question not answered here.
A: Please send any other questions to Sarah Polen, Program Officer for Continuing Education.