Before you pack your bags for Baltimore, Maryland, here are some tips and resources to help you make the most of your conference experience and to hit the ground running in Baltimore!

Attire and Temperature 

Baltimore’s daytime high temperatures in late September average in the mid-70s; nighttime lows average in the mid-50s. Be sure to check the extended forecast before leaving home. Casual attire is the norm for sessions, tours, and ticketed evening events. Only a few of the finest restaurants require coat and tie; otherwise, relax and be informal.

Hotel Reservations

The ICMA conference housing bureau closed on August 24. To make a new reservation, use online hotel booking sites or contact the conference hotels directly using the telephone numbers listed at the end of this article. Although guaranteed conference rates may no longer be honored, rooms may be available as a result of cancellations. Contact hotels directly to make changes and cancellations.

Getting Around in Baltimore

Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) is a 12-mile/17-minute drive from the convention center. Taxi fare is about $35 one way; Uber and Lyft charge $25 to $28; and Super Shuttle rates are about $30 round trip (make a reservation online). Baltimore’s Light RailLink system stops outside of BWI’s Terminal D and at the convention center. Tickets are $1.60 each way and can be bought at the pay stations on the platform.

All conference hotels are within walking distance of the convention center, where most conference sessions and events take place. Consult the final conference program for details and instructions concerning busing for sporting and evening social events.

Location of Conference Sessions and Events 

Located at 1 West Pratt Street, the Baltimore Convention Center is the site for most ICMA conference activities. Monday evening's state/alumni/affiliate receptions and a number of other meetings and events will be held at the Hilton Baltimore, which is connected via a skywalk to the convention center.

Registration 

The conference registration area is located in the Pratt Street Lobby on Level 300 of the convention center. Registration hours are

• Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m.−6 p.m.
• Monday and Tuesday, 8 a.m.−5 p.m.

All conference participants (members, nonmembers, partners, children, guests) must register and wear badges for admission to sessions, exhibits, and partners’ events. Full payment of conference fees must be received by the time you pick up your registration materials. All mail-in registrations received by ICMA after September 17 will be treated as an onsite registration. Online registration is available until September 17, using Visa, MasterCard, or American Express for payment. 

This year, the registration area will feature self-service kiosk stations, where you can scan the QR code you received upon registration to print your badge(s), tickets, and other materials. You can print your confirmation email to scan your QR code on paper, scan the QR code from your mobile device, or enter your name at a self-service station to print your registration materials onsite in Baltimore. ICMA staff will be available onsite to assist you and answer questions about the new system. If you do not have or did not receive your QR code, contact ICMA’s Member and Customer Support Center at customerservices@icma.org to request that your QR code be resent to you.

If you are registered for an ICMA University workshop on Saturday morning beginning at 8:30 a.m., it is not necessary to pick up your conference registration materials first. Instead, you can go directly to the workshops’ central registration area (located in the Hilton Baltimore on the second floor outside the Key Ballroom, Sections 9-12, East Foyer) for room assignments and workshop materials.

Registration Cancellations

Those who registered for the conference but are unable to attend should send cancellation notices in writing to ICMA by September 17. There is a $75 processing fee for the refund of conference registration fees and an additional $35 fee for ICMA University workshop cancellations. Requests for evening social event and field demo ticket refunds also must be received in writing by September 17. No ticket refunds will be given onsite. After the conference, ICMA will process refunds for registration and ticket cancellations that were submitted in writing by the deadline.

Tours

The deadline for requests to CSI Baltimore for tour refunds was September 5. Tickets might still be available for sale at the company’s desk located near the ICMA Bus Stop inside the Pratt Street Entrance on Level 200 of the convention center. All tours will depart from and return to the ICMA bus stop outside the Pratt Street entrance. Tour participants should arrive 10 minutes prior to departure.

Saturday Evening Reception

If you plan to attend the Maryland Science Center reception on Saturday, September 22, 5:30–7:30 p.m., try to first stop by the registration area (which closes at 6 p.m.) to pick up your badge and event tickets. Located on the Inner Harbor at 601 Light Street, the center is an easy 6-block walk (or Uber/Lyft ride) from the convention center. Go east on W. Pratt Street, turn right on Charles, then left on Conway, and continue one block (past Light Street) to the Inner Harbor. Turn right and walk along the water to the Science Center, entering the building on the harbor side.

Opening Session and Welcoming Reception

The opening general session will take place 3–5 p.m. on Sunday, September 23, in Exhibit Hall E on level 100 of the convention center. The Taste of Baltimore welcoming reception will follow immediately at 5–7 p.m. next door in the Swing Exhibit Hall.

During the reception, opening session keynote speaker Daniel Pink will sign copies of his book in the ICMA Pavilion. Note that books by keynoter speakers will be available for purchase only at the registration area (which closes on Sunday at 6:00 p.m.) in the Pratt Street Lobby on Level 300; no books are being sold inside the Member Pavilion, where the signings take place.

News and Updates 

Look for the Stay Connected news brief in your conference registration bag. In support of ICMA’s commitment to sustainability, Stay Connected is going paperless after Sunday’s edition with news and updates available through a variety of digital communication vehicles:

• ICMA conference website (icma.org/conference) is your home for:
  • Conference news at icma.org/annual-conference/stay-connected.
  • Session presentations and handouts included in session descriptions available at icma.org/conferencehandouts.
• Conference News Eblast: Each day your inbox will receive #ICMA2018 daily highlights and information. 
• Twitter: Follow us @ICMAEvents and include #ICMA2018 in your tweets.
• Facebook: “Like” us on the facebook.com/ICMAorg page and network with colleagues on the #ICMA2018 event page.
• Instagram: Follow us at instagram.com/icmaorg. Share your event photos and tag with #ICMA2018.
• ICMA’s Conference Mobile App, sponsored by Tyler Technologies, is your connection to the conference, featuring the complete schedule; session handouts; lists of attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors; conference news and alerts; floor plans; session evaluation surveys; and highlights of the Baltimore area.
  • To download the mobile app, plug www.tripbuildermedia.com/apps/icma2018 into your browser or look for “ICMA2018” in your app store. The first time you open the app, use the same information as when you sign onto the ICMA website. Don’t have an ICMA website account? Create one here.
  • For the best user experience, app users should update to the latest operating system available, since some features may require an up-to-date operating system. The app requires the following operating systems:

• When you pick up your registration materials, you will be asked if you need a copy of the printed conference final program. If using the app will suffice for you to navigate the conference, please decline a final program in support of ICMA’s commitment to sustainability. This year, the printed final program contains only session/event names, times, locations, and speakers. Complete session and event descriptions, as well as additional information, are available on the mobile app as well in a PDF version of the full final program, which is available at icma.org/conference.

Internet Access

ICMA offers free wireless Internet in the Baltimore Convention Center. Connect to “ICMABaltimore” and enter password: icma2018. Upon connection, a splash page will appear with a “connect” button. ICMA’s Internet Express centers are located in the Pratt Street Lobby, Level 300, and in the Swing Exhibit Hall, Level 100. There will be no printed copies of session handouts and presentations, but you can print those that you need using printers at the Internet Express stations.

Hotel Phone Numbers

Hilton Baltimore		443-573-8700
Marriott Inner Harbor at Camden Yards		410-962-0202
Crowne Plaza Downtown Inner Harbor		410-347-5707
Days Inn Baltimore Inner Harbor		410-576-1000
Delta Hotels Baltimore Inner Harbor		410-234-8950
Hampton Inn Baltimore - Downtown-Convention Center		410-685-5000
Holiday Inn Baltimore Inner Harbor		410-685-3500
Hyatt Regency Baltimore Inner Harbor		410-528-1234
Kimpton Hotel Monaco Baltimore		443-692-6170
Lord Baltimore		410-539-8400
Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace		410-547-1200
Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Baltimore		410-234-0550
Sheraton Inner Harbor		410-962-8300