The modern local government landscape is shifting faster than ever before. Communities aren’t just asking city and county managers to balance budgets and pave roads anymore; they are asking them to navigate the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence, rewrite the playbook on public workforce retention, and build alternative emergency response models that actually move the needle on community health. 

Welcome to a new era of local government; one that requires fresh strategies, advanced toolkits, and an evolving approach to leadership.

The 2026 ICMA Annual Conference in Long Beach, October 17–21, is curated around these immediate, real-world pressures. It is your premier annual opportunity to meet and mingle with the people who "speak your language" and face the same daily challenges that you do. As the program tracks take shape, attendees can look forward to tactical, forward-thinking sessions designed to deliver solutions to bring home. 

A Glimpse Into the 2026 Agenda:

• The AI and Technology Frontier
  • AI-Ready from Day One: A Practical Playbook for Local Governments of Every Size (Education Session).
  • From Strategy to Action: Incorporating AI in City Services (Skill Building Workshop).
  • The “Gig” Government: How to Build Your Workforce with Fractional Time, Remote Experts in an AI Age (Education Session).
•  Data-Driven Crisis Management
  • Asking the Right Questions About Alternative Response Program Impact: Essential Metrics for City and County Managers (Discussion)
  • Building Public Trust Through Collaborative Solutions to Unsheltered Homelessness (Education Session) 
  • Run it Like a Newsroom: Crisis Communications Fundamentals for Local Government Managers (Skill Building Workshop)
• Workforce & Culture
  • Entrenched Bureaucracy and a Scoop of Poo: The Wild Story of How Long Beach Reformed a 109-year-old Civil Service Hiring System (Education Session)
  • Don’t Ask Alice: Advice from Leaders Who Have Learned to Let Go and Not to Give AF (Education Session)
  • Your Role as Amateur Therapist: Tips for Managers When Councilmembers and Staff Utilize You as a Mental Health Professional (Education Session)
• Future-Proof Infrastructure & Resiliency
  • From Pavement to Potties: Future-proofing Infrastructure with Technology and Partnerships (Education Session)
  • Infrastructure as a Platform: Data-driven Solutions from Street Lights to Sewer Pipes (Education Session)
  • Real-time Flood Intelligence: How Sugar Land’s ISWMM Protects Residents and Modernizes Stormwater Planning (Education Session)
• Immersive and Accelerated Learning
  • 12 Skill-Building Workshops
  • 14 Mobile Workshops
  • 20 Micro Certifications 

You won't just sit through theory; you will sit alongside more than 5,000 global peers doing the hard work, learning what works, what fails, and what comes next. 

The Countdown Is On: Two Weeks Until Launch

In two weeks, the gates open. High-demand hotel blocks on the Long Beach waterfront and exclusive "Best Value" registration rates will go live simultaneously. To secure the best accommodations within walking distance of the convention center at the lowest possible price, you will need to act fast. 

Set your alarms, calendar invites, and team reminders now: Registration and Housing open June 10 at 12:00 p.m. ET.

Explore the Evolving Program Agenda