Join us for a multimedia celebration of the international community that comprises our specialty coffee family and kick off the 25th Annual Event. Congratulate the winner of the 2012 Sustainability Award, meet our Official Portrait Country El Salvador, and get to know Boston with the help of our Host Sponsor, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters! Don't forget to stay around for the Welcome Reception—the biggest social gathering of The Event.

Thursday, April 11, 5:30pm, Ballroom










The fun doesn't stop at the Opening Ceremonies; a cash bar, refreshments, and a friendly crowd will be awaiting you at the SCAA Welcome Reception. Immediately following the Opening Ceremonies, the Welcome Reception will include tasty hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar, and a couple thousand of your fellow Event attendees. Mark your Outlook calendar, iPhone, paper planner or whatever you use to keep organized, because this is one party you don't want to miss! And remember, unlike Las Vegas, what happens at the Welcome Reception WILL be shared on Facebook and Twitter. This is the first and largest social event of the weekend, and entry into the Welcome Reception is free to all registered attendees. It's a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and network with other attendees.

Thursday, April 11, 7 p.m., Ballroom


Coffee Kids celebrates 25 years of working together with program partners and generous donors to bring about lasting change at coffee's origin. Help us celebrate families who've experienced improved quality of life thanks to Coffee Kids projects.

Held this year In conjunction with the SCAA Welcome Reception, immediately following the Opening Ceremonies.

Thursday, April 11, 7 p.m., Ballroom






The Rainforest Alliance invites you to join us for a delicious breakfast, award-winning coffee, the latest updates on our work, and the results of our Cupping For Quality events. We have lots of news and accomplishments to share from the past year – and we'd love to show you where we are headed next!

Order tickets online now at rainforest-alliance.org/scaa2013.
Sign up early-this event is always a sellout.

Friday, April 12, 7:30 a.m., Ballroom




Join us for coffee and refreshments while mingling with the specialty coffee industry's esteemed leaders, exhibitors, and staff. Take advantage of this great opportunity and learn how to make the most out of your Event experience directly from SCAA Board of Directors, staff, and event veterans. This is a must-attend for anyone new to the industry or to our Event.

Friday, April 12, 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.,
Northwest Corridor Pre-Function, Level Two




Please join us to celebrate the 11th annual International Women in Coffee Alliance breakfast. Our theme this year is "Making Connections, Inspiring Change". All industry members are welcome and encouraged to attend and find out what we do and how to get involved. Proceeds will be used to support quality of life and other projects for women in coffee producing countries. The IWCA is a global peer network that advocates for women from seed to cup. IWCA not only provides access to resources but also promotes a forum for connection. Tickets for this event are $55 for IWCA members, $65 for non-members. Sponsorship tables for ten are available for $750.

Saturday April 13, 7:30 a.m., Ballroom





The Coffee Quality Institute will host its 15th Annual Luncheon at The Event in Boston. For 17 years, CQI has dedicated itself to improving coffee quality and the lives of the people who produce it. We hope to see you at this important annual fundraiser, where you'll be able to mingle with friends and colleagues, show your support of our programs, and see the presentation of this year's Leadership Medal of Merit to Henry Ngabirano of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority.

Pre-sale tickets are available during the registration process for $65, and will be offered at the door immediately preceding the event for $70. For sponsorship inquiries, please email sponsorships@coffeeinstitute.org.

Saturday, April 13, Noon, Ballroom





Natvia is partnering up with the BGA to bring their premiere barista celebration to Boston following the US Barista Championship. The EpiCenter Boston will be transformed into a 1920's speakeasy where guests will be treated to tasty bites, rip-roaring dances, and specialty cocktails. Get your free tickets at sweetfantasyparty.com.

Sunday, April 14th , 7pm - 12am, The EpiCenter, 100 West 2nd Street, Boston





This new exhibition in the Activities Hall represents a grass roots effort supported by Dalla Corte North America and the barista community to bring the excitement of latte art to life around the country. This event will feature some of the best barista talent in the U.S. demonstrating their artistic skills and is sure to be a thrilling addition to The Event. Latte art is an extremely effective technique for drawing customers' attention and simultaneously preparing a beverage of high quality and takes hours of practice to perfect. Similar to World Latte Art, baristas will be judged based on visual attributes, creativity, identical patterns in the pairs, contrast in patterns, and overall performance. The Latte Art Exhibition highlights artistic expression in a platform that challenges the barista in an on-demand performance.

For the preliminary round of the exhibition, baristas will go head to head in a 64-person single elimination throwdown with the judges calling for one of three basic latte art designs. The top 32 will move on to the second round where they will be asked produce a single creative latte pattern during their 10 minute practice (they can pour as many lattes during that 10 minute period) then move to the main stage to create two identical free-pour lattes based on that design. The judges will score this round and the top 8 competitors qualify for the final round. In the finals the baristas will be asked to create two identical free-pour macchiatos, two identical free-pour cappuccinos and two identical free-pour lattes in a ten-minute routine. The top-scoring barista in the final round will be declared the winner.

Prizes Include:

1st Place Prize:
2nd Place Prize:
3rd Place Prize:
Competition Days:
Thursday April 11, Friday April 12, Saturday April 13

Competition Times:
Thursday: 11am - 12pm & 2pm – 3pm
Friday: 11am – 12pm & 3pm – 4pm
Saturday: 10am – 12pm Finals & Awards

Location:  Activities Hall

Register to compete

For more info, email Patrick Burns at info@baristathrowdown.com





SCAA is delighted to announce a new event this year, "A Call to Auction", in partnership with the Cafe Femenino Foundation. This silent auction will be held at SCAA's Annual Exposition in Boston. The auction will be held on the trade show floor in booth 393 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Items will vary from coffee and related items to personal fun stuff and even travel. Donations will come mostly from the show exhibitors and will benefit the Cafe Femenino Foundation's mission to help women and their families in coffee communities around the world. The foundation has worked over the past eight years to help communities to improve health, food security, education, income, abuse reduction, and to provide emergency aid when disasters strike. SCAA and the Cafe Femenino Foundation are proud to work together in this effort to make a difference in the lives of coffee producers when help and support is needed. We invite attendees and exhibitors to join us in this fun and important event through donations and auction bids.

For more information visit www.coffeecan.org