District Convention are one of the few decent memories I have of growing up in the 80s and 90s as a born-in JW.
I remember my dad conning my siblings and I out of a McDonald's dinner by saying the "Muffin-Egg" breakfast sandwich at the Convention was a McDonald's Egg McMuffin. So technically we ate McDonald's that day. I didn't care. It was good! As was eating as many Ham and Cheese sandwiches or Hoagies I could get.
I remember my aunts and uncles giving my meal tickets to buy sodas and chocolate puddings as a treat.
I remember the only other kid in my school who was a JW being another congregation. We got to hang out at conventions and goof off.
I remember the dramas. I remember being bummed out when they stopped turning off the lights in the arena for prop changes.
My father was an elder and worked in different Convention departments. I used to go hang out with him. I remember one convention the baptism pool was off site. I got to go with him to film the baptism and interview people.
Then the GB took it all away. Then the Conventions became a chore. Then we started having to travel and shell out money to stay in hotels on the approved list or have to commute.
All the joy was sucked away.