Pennsylvania Convention Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Conference: September 29 – October 1
Exhibits: September 29 – 30
CONFERENCE BEGINS:
Days
Hours
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Pennsylvania Convention Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Conference: September 29 – October 1
Exhibits: September 29 – 30
CONFERENCE BEGINS:
Explore a variety of events, award ceremonies and meetings designed to connect you with fellow attendees and enhance your conference experience.
Don’t Miss These Events!
Tuesday, September 29 | 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Three venues. One night. Rooted in a Philadelphia tradition.
In Philadelphia, block parties are a beloved tradition that bring communities together through food, music and shared experience. As the city celebrates America’s 250th anniversary, that spirit is taking center stage across neighborhoods citywide. At the 2026 NRPA Annual Conference, we’re bringing that same energy to our opening reception.
Kick off the conference with an immersive block party experience in the iconic Fishtown neighborhood, unfolding across three unique spaces:
Photo courtesy of Special Events at Live Nation
Throughout the evening, the whole block will come alive with outdoor lounge spaces, lawn games, food and beverage stations, and opportunities to connect under the Philadelphia skyline. This is a park and recreation celebration inspired by a citywide tradition that you won’t want to miss!
*This ticketed event is included with full package, young professional, retired, speaker upgraded, Spouse/Guest and Tuesday daily registrations.
The Opening Reception Is Brought to You By:
Wednesday, September 30 | 6 – 7 p.m.
Pennsylvania Convention Center, 300-Level Grand Ballroom
Join us as we recognize and celebrate the most inspirational people and programs by presenting 2026 Hall of Fame Induction, Innovation Awards and Spotlight Awards. The newly CAPRA-accredited and re-accredited park and recreation agencies, certified professionals, Young Professional Fellows, and Diversity and Student Scholarship recipients also will be recognized. There will be a cash bar reception immediately after the ceremony so you can celebrate and network with your peers.
Wednesday, September 30 | 7 – 8 p.m.
Pennsylvania Convention Center, 300-Level Grand Ballroom
The reception will immediately follow the Best of the Best Ceremony.
Wednesday, September 30 | Time TBD
Pennsylvania Convention Center, 300-Level Grand Ballroom
The National Gold Medal Award honors public park and recreation agencies and state park systems throughout the United States and armed forces recreation programs worldwide that demonstrate excellence in long-range planning, resource management and innovative approaches to delivering superb park and recreation services with fiscally sound business practices.
Thursday, October 1 | 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Marriott Philadelphia Downtown, 1200 Filbert Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107
The Ethnic Minority Society Awards Luncheon is an annual luncheon which recognizes the different experiences of the park and recreation profession, and provides an opportunity to network and learn more about the organization.
Connect With Fellow Attendees
Attend one of the attendee networking opportunities below to meet like-minded professionals, learn how to get involved, and stay connected all year long!
Monday, September 28 | 5 – 6 p.m.
Pennsylvania Convention Center, Room 201C
New to conference? Then you don’t want to miss this! Students, new professionals, or distinguished professionals can all learn from a crash course on the NRPA Annual Conference. Find out more about the different events, networking opportunities, and where your best resources are located. Make the most of your time at this year’s NRPA Annual Conference with these tips, tricks and secrets.
The NRPA Networks are a great opportunity to connect with fellow professionals! NRPA’s six networks include Aquatics, Armed Forces Recreation, Leadership Development, Parks for All, Small Agencies, and Young Professionals, and they all meet in-person at the NRPA Annual Conference. Find the meeting time and location listed below.
Tuesday, September 29 | 1:15 - 2:15 p.m.
Pennsylvania Convention Center, Room 117
The Young Professional Network (YPN) serves NRPA members who are students and young professionals as well as those that are interested in engaging in topics or discussions concerning students and young professionals.
Tuesday, September 29 | 2:45 - 3:45 p.m.
Pennsylvania Convention Center, Room 124
The Leadership Development Network serves NRPA members who are or aspiring to be park and recreation agency leaders in federal, county, local and special district government and in private and voluntary agencies.
Tuesday, September 29 | 4 - 5 p.m.
Pennsylvania Convention Center, Room 125
The Aquatics Network is intended to be a forum for discussion, sharing of knowledge, and posing of questions unique to the needs and interests of aquatics professionals working or interested in aquatic facilities and programs. The Aquatics Network presents a unified voice on issues involving the safety, health and quality of aquatics-related programs, facilities and services for the enjoyment of all.
Tuesday, September 29 | 4 - 5 p.m.
Pennsylvania Convention Center, Room 117
The Parks for All Network brings together park and recreation professionals who are responsible for or contribute to their agency’s efforts to ensure all community members have equal access and opportunities. The network facilitates sharing and collaboration to foster welcoming and accessible environments for everyone in parks and recreation agencies.
Wednesday, September 30 | 7:45 - 8:45 a.m.
Pennsylvania Convention Center, Room 104
The Armed Forces Recreation Network (AFRN) serves NRPA members who work in or are interested in Armed Forces Recreation. This can include military personnel, Defense Department civilian employees and individuals in agencies that provide recreation services to military personnel such as the Red Cross and United Services Organization.
Thursday, October 1 | 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Pennsylvania Convention Center, Room 117
The Small Agency Network brings together park and recreation professionals from small towns and rural communities who manage diverse responsibilities with limited resources. This peer network creates space to connect, share ideas, and support one another while elevating the unique strengths and challenges of small agencies.
Tuesday, September 29 | 7:45 – 8:45 a.m.
Pennsylvania Convention Center, Room 117
Join us on Tuesday morning at the NRPA Annual Conference as we gather to congratulate the Fellowship and Scholarship winners. You are invited to help us welcome these amazing folks!
Tuesday, September 29 | 5 – 6:30 p.m.
Little Gay Pub, 102 S 13th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Join LGBTQIA+ park and recreation professionals and allies for a celebratory happy hour before the official NRPA Annual Conference Opening Reception. Hosted by NRPA.
Wednesday, September 30 | 7:30 – 8:30 a.m.
Pennsylvania Convention Center, Room 117
Join us for a networking breakfast at NRPA’s Annual Conference exclusively for current and former attendees and faculty of NRPA’s Directors School.
Wednesday, September 30 | 1 – 2:30 p.m.
Pennsylvania Convention Center, Room 201C
This is the annual meeting for the National Recreation and Park Ethnic Minority Society. The meeting is open to members of the organization and professionals that want to learn more about NRPEMS.
Date | Time TBD
Pennsylvania Convention Center, Room TBD
Join HPPR for a roundtable discussion highlighting current initiatives, leadership opportunities, and future goals. Connect with peers, share ideas, and help shape the organization’s direction while advancing Hispanic representation in parks and recreation. All are welcome to attend.
How to Sign Up for Ticketed Events
To sign up for the ticketed events, please make your selection during the conference registration process. If you already have registered for the conference, you can add the event to your current order by logging in to the registration site and modifying your registration.
Join us in Philadelphia, September 29 – October 1, to celebrate how parks and recreation bring us together, strengthen health and well-being, and build more resilient, connected communities.