General Questions

October 17-21, 2026

Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center
300 E Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802

Individuals needing auxiliary aids or services as identified in the Americans with Disabilities Act, please email conferenceteam@icma.org.

Yes. ICMA can accommodate dietary restrictions for attendee lunches on Monday and Tuesday as well as the opening reception on Sunday. Gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, and dairy options are available if requested in advance. Please email conferenceteam@icma.org with your request.

The conference begins on Saturday, October 17, 2026, and ends on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. A Schedule at a Glance as well as the full conference program of events will be posted on the conference website as more information becomes available.

ICMA has registered with the American Planning Association to provide AICP credits for approved sessions.

Yes! ICMA gladly welcomes first-time attendees and highly encourages their participation at all events! For further information and tips on attending the conference visit: Tips for First-Time Attendees.

To learn more about exhibiting as well as sponsorship opportunities for the 2026 ICMA Annual Conference, please contact conferenceteam@icma.org.

Yes, there are several events that offer complimentary food and beverage:

Sunday, October 18: The Exhibit Hall Grand Opening Reception will feature light hors d’oeuvres along with one complimentary beverage of your choice (beer, wine, soft drink or water).

Monday, October 19 and Tuesday, October 20: The Exhibit Hall luncheon will offer a complimentary box lunch of your choice and soft drink or bottled water will be offered each day.

In keeping with ICMA’s commitment to sustainability, no paper handouts have been printed for sessions. Instead, session presentations and handouts can be found on the Conference App.

Yes! There will be several lounges where attendees can meet up, relax and network. The ICMA Hub will be featured again in Long Beach as well as the LBC Attendee Lounge where representatives will be on hand to offer suggestion on the best places to go in Long Beach. All lounges are open throughout the duration of conference and hours may vary by day.

ICMA offers all attendees complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center. The Wi-Fi capabilities are suitable for checking e-mail and light browsing.

Any items that are found in ICMA session rooms, Exhibit Halls and public areas will be kept at the Registration Desk, Promenade Level, 1st Floor, until the completion of the conference. At the conclusion of the conference, any remaining articles will be turned over to security at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center.

The Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center (LBCEC) maintains a strict code of conduct that includes a prohibition on smoking. Smoking, vaping, and the use of tobacco products are not permitted inside the venue.

Nursing Mother’s will have access to a private space in the Wellness Room located adjacent to Meeting Room 104 in the LBCEC. The door locks from the inside, and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Conference programming is entirely in-person and content is not recorded.

Parking is available at 180 East Ocean Parking Garage for $15.00 per day. The garage is within walking distance to the LBCEC with a height restriction of 6’8”. In-and-out privileges are not allowed. Rates may differ by event and special event rates may apply. No overnight parking is allowed.
ICMA does not validate parking passes at the LBCEC, hotels or offsite venues.

ICMA conference facilities are not to be used for solicitation by conference participants for any job openings or potential positions in local government or the commercial sector. Announcements of job vacancies and interviews, including postings on bulletin boards and listings in newsletters, are prohibited at the conference site and will be removed. Officials who make prior arrangements may meet with potential candidates at the conference site as long as these meetings do not interfere with the normal activities of the conference. Similarly, managers may arrange to talk with potential candidates for assistant positions.
Employers and candidates must be registered attendees of the 2026 ICMA Annual Conference.

Many conference hotels are conveniently located either adjacent to or within walking distance from the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center. Hotels not within walking will either have shuttles to and from the LBCEC or Uber vouchers will be provided. See the annual conference website for further information.

ICMA does not provide shuttle service to and from the airport nor does it validate parking tickets or provide complimentary parking.

Registration and Housing

All conference attendees are responsible for picking up their own conference badges while onsite in Long Beach. Guest badges of registered attendees are provided with the conference attendee’s badge.

Exhibitor badges may be picked up in groups if prior approval was received.

A valid form of ID is required at the time of pickup.

Badges and tickets will be available onsite at the self-check-in kiosks. Conference badges and tickets are not mailed.

Outstanding balances must be paid in full to receive your badge and tickets onsite in Long Beach.

All conference participants (members, nonmembers, exhibitors, sponsors, speakers, partners, children, guests, and media) must register and wear badges for admission to sessions, exhibits, and partners’ events.

If your conference badge is lost or misplaced, a replacement can be printed. Please visit the registration desk for assistance.

Sharing of conference badges is strictly prohibited.

We understand that plans can change. All cancellation, change or refund requests must be submitted, by deadlines outlined below, via email to conferenceteam@icma.org.
Before Wednesday, September 23, 2026: Refunds are subject to a $150 processing fee per transaction. Tickets are non-refundable.
After Wednesday, September 23, 2026: Unfortunately, no refunds, including ticket sales, will be issued after this date.

Yes, we will gladly accept substitutions, and we are pleased to say they may be made without a processing fee. You will either be charged or refunded the difference between the two registration fees. Substitutions must be received in writing by emailing conferenceteam@icma.org by Wednesday, September 23, 2026.

The best value rate ends on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.

ICMA currently does not increase registration rates while registering onsite in Long Beach. The regular registration rates would apply. Please note that increases do apply to some special event tickets. See the conference website for further information.

Yes, group/team registration is offered for four or more attendees at a 15% discount.

  • Each participant will receive 15% off their applicable registration rate.
  • Registrations can be processed simultaneously online by one individual from your organization.
  • Individual registrations do not qualify for refunds to become part of a group registration at a later date.
  • Hotel reservations may not be made until the initial four (4) registrations are complete.

ICMA has several membership types that offer complimentary or discounted registration fees. If you qualify, your registration fee will automatically reflect the discount. Please refer to the ICMA conference website for more information.

Registration will open on June 10, 2026 and you can register online and reserve a hotel room in an official ICMA hotel. Registration fees will be published on the conference website prior to registration opening.
During the registration process, you can also add micro-certification sessions, sporting events, mobile workshops and special event tickets all in one streamlined place. ICMA does not accept phone registrations.

The Annual Conference website contains a list of all official ICMA hotels along with rates and distances to the convention center. Please visit the conference website for more information.

Deposits are not required in advance of your arrival in Long Beach. However, a credit card guarantee is required to reserve the room during the registration and housing process. Credit card charges do not apply during this initial process.

Check-in and out times vary by each hotel. It is recommended that you search your hotel’s website for this information

ICMA only offers blocks of hotel rooms to its Strategic Partners and Sponsors. For questions on if your organization qualifies for a room block, email conferenceteam@icma.org.

Maritz is the Official Housing Provider for the ICMA Annual Conference. Improper solicitation of hotel reservations from any company other than Maritz is not approved. Reservations made by unaffiliated organizations may appear to have lower rates, however they may be illegitimate, not have the rooms to sell, have unreasonable cancellation or change penalties, or be completely non-refundable. Please be aware of and report any unauthorized solicitation to ICMA or Maritz.

Assistance

We’re happy to help with any additional questions about this year’s event. Please contact us at conferenceteam@icma.org.