Whether you’re a member of a team behind a Main Street program, a civic leader dedicated to supporting local development, or an expert in areas vital to fostering vibrant communities, the 2026 Main Street Now Conference offers an unmatched professional development experience:

Learn — Tap into the expertise of your peers, industry professionals, and supporters. With 100+ education sessions, learn how to leverage time-tested techniques rooted in the Main Street Approach and innovative methods to support your community’s Main Street efforts. Come with an open mind and return home with knowledge, best practices, and strategies backed by tangible takeaways.

Explore — Let curiosity be your guide at the largest convening of place professionals. Expand your horizons with invigorating Main Idea sessions and immersive mobile workshops. Find inspiration as you experience Tulsa’s vibrant historic districts, dynamic cultural heritage, and more. No matter how you explore, you’ll leave feeling rejuvenated, energized, and inspired to take your organization’s Main Street efforts to the next level.

Connect — Meet new people and connect with colleagues from across the Main Street network! From scheduled network-building activities and fun events to impromptu encounters at sessions and during breaks, you’ll find unlimited opportunities to meet new people, develop lasting professional relationships, and lean into the community that surrounds you at Main Street Now. 

All conference activities and times are subject to change. 

Sunday, April 12 

• On-site Registration/Check-In — 7:15 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
• NAPC Main Street Preservation Short Course* — 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
• Mobile Workshops* — 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
• Main Street 101 Deep Dive: Sustainable Strategies for Lasting Impact — TBA
• Welcome Reception — 6:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m. 

Monday, April 13 

• On-site Registration/Check-In — 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 
• First Time Attendee Meet & Greet — 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m.
• Opening Plenary and 2026 Great American Main Street Awards — 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. | Doors open at 9:30 a.m. 
• Mobile Workshops* — 2:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
• Education Sessions — 2:00 p.m.-5:15 p.m.
• Special Networking Session — 3:00 p.m.-4:15 p.m. 

Tuesday, April 14

• On-site Registration/Check-In — 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
• Mobile Workshops* — 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. 
• Main Idea Session — 9:00 a.m.- 10:00 a.m.
• Education Sessions — 10:30 a.m.-4:15 p.m. 
• Special Networking Session — 3:00 p.m.-4:15 p.m.
• Civic Leader Forum** —12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.
• Exhibitor Reception — 4:00 p.m.-5:45 p.m.

Wednesday, April 15 

• On-site Registration/Check-In — 7:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
• Mobile Workshops* — 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
• Main Idea Session — 9:00 a.m.- 10:00 a.m.
• Education Sessions — 10:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m.
• Special Networking Session — 2:00 p.m.-3:15 p.m. 
• Closing Celebration and 2026 Mary Means Leadership Awards — 4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
• Big Bash* — 6:30 p.m.-10:15 p.m. 

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

In addition to perennial Main Street content, the Main Street Now 2026 agenda will highlight one key 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. 

Education tracks are tailored learning paths designed to help you identify sessions most relevant to your role within your organization and the Main Street movement. With a couple of sessions per day, each track offers a curated experience of suggested content ideal for you, while also providing you with the flexibility to explore the full range of topics that Main Street Now 2026 has to offer: 

New Director — Designed for early-career professionals, this track offers foundational knowledge, practical tools, and key resources to confidently begin your Main Street leadership journey.

Experienced Director — Find sessions focused on advanced strategies, leadership insights, and innovative approaches to take your Main Street program to the next level.

Board Member — Learn how to maximize your impact as a board member with sessions dedicated to governance, strategic planning, and collaboration with program staff.

Civic Leader — This track supports civic leaders in championing Main Street initiatives through sessions on partnerships, advocacy, and local policy alignment.

Small Business Owner — Engage with sessions designed for entrepreneurs who anchor Main Street, and program staff who support them. Learn how to strengthen visibility, connect with your community, and align your business goals with broader downtown success. 

Keep an eye out for the full list of sessions and education tracks debuting soon!

Main Idea Session — Keynote session that provides thought leadership, explores our education themes, and celebrates the accomplishments of Main Street communities. 

30-Minute Tactical Solution Sessions — Succinct sessions focused on key examples from Main Street communities and partner content through sponsors.

45-Minute Crash Courses — Topic-specific courses that provide quick information or skill-building. 

75-Minute Classroom Sessions — Panel discussions or conversations on a topic with opportunities for audience engagement. 

Deep Dive Sessions — Highly interactive 1.5 to 3‑hour workshops on topics that require detailed instruction or discussion. 

Mobile Workshops — Off-site, ticketed excursions to Tulsa neighborhood districts and Main Street communities in the surrounding area. All mobile workshops will depart from the Arvest Convention Center. 

From evergreen strategies to innovative solutions, Main Street Now 2026 sessions provide actionable inspiration and tangible takeaways on a wide variety of topic areas central to the mission and vision of the Main Street movement, including:

• The Main Street Approach
• Community Preservation
• Real Estate and Property Development
• Public Space and Infrastructure
• Small Business & Entrepreneurship
• Equitable and Inclusive Community Development
• People Management and Work Planning
• Fundraising and Finance
• Marketing, Communications, and Events
• Policy and Advocacy

Learn more about these topic areas >