Registration is expected to open in early December 2025. Members receive a discount! Find more about membership here >

Early Bird (ends February 3*): $499 Member, $720 Non-Member
Regular (ends April 6*): $599 Member, $830 Non-Member
On-site (April 12 – 15): $699 Member, $899 Non-Member
One Day: $425 Online, $525 On-site
Civic Leader: $250 Online, $299 On-site
Student: $250 Online, $299 On-site

Sessions: From inspiring plenaries and immersive mobile workshops to crash courses and deep dives, Main Street Now Conference sessions equip local leaders with case studies, tools, and practical strategies to address issues impacting their communities. 

Schedule: The full agenda is expected to be available in early 2026. Check out the schedule at-a-glance below for a preview:

Sunday, April 12 

• On-site Registration/Check-In 
• Mobile Workshops* 
• Welcome Reception 

Monday, April 13 

• On-site Registration/Check-In 
• Opening Plenary 
• Mobile Workshops*
• Education Sessions
• Special Networking Sessions

Tuesday, April 14

• On-site Registration/Check-In 
• Mobile Workshops*
• Main Idea Session 
• Education Sessions 
• Special Networking Sessions
• Civic Leader Lunch** 
• Exhibitor Reception 

Wednesday, April 15 

• On-site Registration/Check-In 
• Mobile Workshops*
• Main Idea Session 
• Education Sessions 
• Special Networking Sessions
• Closing Celebration 
• Big Bash* 

*Additional registration required. 
** Included in Civic Leader registration. 

The Main Street Now 2026 education agenda will feature evergreen Main Street Approach content, plus engaging sessions centered around one core theme and three related sub-themes:

Main Street at the Crossroads: Building Durable Futures
Every community eventually reaches a crossroads— the point where past choices meet future possibilities. For Main Streets, that moment is now. Economic uncertainty, shifting demographics, disaster realities, and rapid technological change are converging, requiring leaders to make decisions that will shape the road ahead. At Main Street Now 2026, we explore how communities can chart durable pathways that will carry future generations. We invite you to think about what it means to build with endurance in mind: organizations that stand strong when they encounter an obstacle, places that are designed to adapt with time, and community systems that remain steady even when individual parts falter. It is about turning today’s crossroads into tomorrow’s foundations.

Designing for Durability
Enduring Main Streets aren’t sustained by luck— they are shaped with care and foresight. This subtheme highlights how to build organizational, cultural, and physical systems that endure: leadership pipelines that keep talent strong, preservation strategies that honor heritage, and infrastructure that adapts to change. Durability is also the weaving together of people, cultures, and identities into a shared fabric of place that carries Main Streets well into the future.

Financing the Future
A thriving Main Street depends not only on passion but also on strong financial footing. This subtheme explores strategies for long-term stability such as diversified revenue streams, innovative partnerships, and sound fiscal practices that help organizations weather uncertainty. It’s about creating not just a budget for today, but a financial roadmap that ensures tomorrow’s impact.

Elevating Rural Resilience
Rural Main Streets are deeply rooted in their landscapes, traditions, and connections that serve as powerful sources of resilience. This subtheme uplifts the distinct strengths and needs of rural communities, exploring how they spark vitality through small business ecosystems, housing solutions, arts and culture, and creative placemaking. Far from being peripheral, rural Main Streets stand as anchors of durability and vitality within the broader national economy. 

Venues: The majority of conference sessions will be held at the Arvest Convention Center, located at 100 Civic Center Drive. Select sessions, events, and mobile workshops will be held at off-site venues; location and transportation details will be provided in the coming months.

Hotels: Specially priced rooms for conference attendees will be available at three hotels. 

• Hyatt Regency Tulsa Downtown, 100 East 2^nd Street — $159/​night*
• DoubleTree by Hilton Tulsa Downtown, 616 W. 7^th Street — $179/​night*
• Aloft Downtown Tulsa, 200 Civic Center — $179-$199/night*

Reservations will open in early December. Get hotel reservation notifications: subscribe to receive updates >

*Additional taxes and fees may apply

Between sessions, enjoy local shops, eateries, and attractions in downtown Tulsa and the city’s four Main Street districts: Global District, Historic Greenwood District, Kendall Whittier, and Tulsa Route 66 Main Street. Come early or extend your stay to explore national historic sites and cultural districts, verdant parks, magnificent Art Deco and Mid-Century Modern architecture, vibrant public art, incredible food, and more in Tulsa. Check out must-see places and experiences here >

Our call for proposals is closed. Along with our partners at Oklahoma Main Street, we welcomed engaging, practical, and non-commercial session proposals on a broad variety of topics aligned with the Main Street Approach from July 23-September 5, 2025. We thank everyone who answered our call for proposals! Submitters will be notified of determinations in early December 2025.

Questions? Contact info@​mainstreet.​org

Sponsoring the Main Street Now Conference is a highly visible, cost effective way to reach community leaders and partners as they foster new ideas and solutions for preservation-based economic development in their historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. Sponsor packages provide partners with the opportunity to demonstrate leadership through programming and promotions, connect directly with local decisionmakers, and support communities on their path to economic revitalization. Check out the sponsor prospectus here >

Questions? Contact Katie Eckstein at keckstein@​mainstreet.​org

The Main Street Now Expo offers a variety of promotional opportunities for companies specializing in products, services, and resources designed to assist downtown and commercial district management professionals take their efforts to the next level. Booth registration is expected to open in early December 2025. Check out the exhibitor prospectus for details and subscribe to receive updates >

Questions? Contact Steve Amraen at samraen@​mainstreet.​org