If this were a normal year, the Salem Convention Center would be buzzing with holiday activities during the months of November and December. There would be trees to be decorated and end-of-year holiday parties and luncheons to enjoy. Beautiful weddings would fill our ballrooms along with the sounds of laughter and music. The holidays are truly a joyous season at The Salem Convention Center, but this year will be different. A statewide two-week “freeze” is now in place that limits social gatherings to six people, restricts restaurants and bars to take-out only and will close gyms, indoor and outdoor recreational facilities through Dec. 2. While we are disappointed to learn of these latest restrictions, we certainly understand the importance of stopping the spread of this virus so we may return to our “normal” lives as soon as possible. We hope and pray for the health of our local city and our nation as we face this crisis together. In the meantime, we thought this would be a good time to reflect on the positive developments, the silver linings and share what we are most grateful for this holiday season. #1- The Salem Convention Center Staff If you spend a day with the Salem Convention Center Staff, you can understand why we're so grateful to our team. Anyone who follows us on Facebook or Instagram can probably see that the Salem Convention Center staff is a tight-knit family. When our lives were upended by COVID-19 last spring, our team stepped up in an unprecedented way. We acted quickly and deliberately to ensure that our space followed all guidelines set forth by local health agencies, and then some! These new practices ensure the safety of all visitors and staff members and now include enhanced cleaning methods, sanitation stations, social distancing, contact tracing, and more. Learn more about Salem Convention Center's Covid-19 Response. #2- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) When the Oregon wildfires brought smoke and devastation to the Mid-Willamette Valley this fall, FEMA rented and converted much of our 30,000 square feet of versatile meeting space into offices for six weeks. They were gracious guests and enjoyed dining and experiencing downtown Salem seven days a week. We are grateful we were able to accommodate them so quickly- from the day we got the call that they were looking for space we met, toured, contracted and had them moved in within 5 days! We were also grateful to successfully host this large group while maintaining safety and social distancing. #3- Downtown Salem When it comes to location, it doesn't get much better than the super easy-to-navigate city of Salem, Oregon. Lucky for us, we just happen to be located right in the heart of its vibrant downtown! Just take a walk around The Salem Convention Center and you will find delightful surprises and local gems around every corner. Visitors to The Salem Convention Center frequently tell us how much they love to stroll the city blocks and take in the many sights. “Salem is the best of big city and small town Oregon,” says Travel Salem. “Salem is accessible, unhurried and easy to navigate, full of parks, friendly people and welcoming local events that make any time a great time to visit.” #4- Our Wonderful Clients & Event Guests We are very grateful to have dozens of repeat customers every year, and we can't WAIT to see them again for future events. Attendees travel from around the state, region, nation and across the globe to attend multi-day conventions and conferences and one-day or half-day workshops and meetings here. We have also been fortunate to host a regular stream of clients celebrating weddings, family reunions, special occasions and fundraisers for the last 15 years! Our loyal followers named us 2015 Best Oregon Convention/Conference Venue in addition to Best Convention Center in Oregon 2016 and again in 2017 by Northwest Meetings & Events magazine readers. Our adjoining hotel, The Grand Hotel in Salem, has also received recognition as “Best Hotel with Meeting/Event Space in Oregon (less than 200 rooms)”. #5- Our Neighbors & Partners The Salem Convention Center's partnership with Allied Video Productions (AVP) has helped us meet the needs of hundreds of businesses and organizations throughout the years, and we are so grateful to have them in our corner! Event-goers and organizers have also told us how much they appreciate the convenience of having the award-winning 193-room The Grand Hotel in Salem and Bentley's Restaurant attached to our facility. We look forward to serving the Salem, Oregon community again very soon. Whatever your milestone is, a wedding, a reunion, a special anniversary, an important meeting, we'll be here for you! In the meantime, Stay Well. Be Well. For more information, please visit our Coronavirus Precautions page.