***SOLD OUT*** Click here to sign up for the waitlist.

The Olmsted Network’s 2026 Annual Conference—The Power of Connection: Shaping Resilient Public Landscapes—will convene park leaders, designers, advocates, funders, policymakers, and practitioners from across the country to explore how connection shapes resilient public landscapes. 

Set against the backdrop of Portland’s renowned park system and enduring Olmsted legacy, this year’s conference examines the relationships that sustain public spaces—linking people to parks, history to innovation, and vision to stewardship. 

As public landscapes face mounting pressures from climate change, funding constraints, public health needs, and evolving community expectations, the conference offers a timely forum for collaboration and problem-solving. Through panels, roundtables, and site visits, participants will exchange ideas, strengthen partnerships, and gain practical strategies to support the future of public spaces. 

Grounded in the principles of Frederick Law Olmsted while looking firmly toward the future, the conference invites participants to learn from the communities and environments of the Pacific Northwest and to experience connection in action: between parks and policy, design and equity, and climate response and cultural stewardship. 

Additional information about conference scholarships, hotel blocks, and LA CES is available below. For logistical questions, please contact Ella Menees, Logistics & Engagement Manager, at emenees@olmsted.org. 

Tickets & Pricing
Each ticket includes access to the welcome reception, conference sessions, happy hour, and awards dinner (with RSVP, space permitting), as well as two breakfasts, two lunches, and a swag bag. The menu is available here; let us know of any food allergies during registration.  

June 1 to September 15:  
Partner (with code): $350 
Student (with scholarship code): $40 
Regular: $400 

Partner Code & Scholarship Codes:  
All listed partner organizations will be provided a partner discount code for $350 tickets. This code will come to your organization’s listed contact via email when registration opens on May 1. You can also reach out to us if needed.

Partner organizations with financial need may apply for additional support using this form. Please wait for confirmation before registering, as approved applicants will receive a revised registration code. 

Students may also apply for scholarship support using this form. Again, please wait for confirmation and a code before registering.  

Once you have received a code, you will register as normal, add your ticket to the shopping cart, and then enter your code on righthand side of the check out page.

Partner & Code Questions:
If you have questions about registration codes or would like to become a partner for preferred rates and year-round benefits, please contact Madelaine Momot, Partnerships Manager, at Mmomot@olmsted.org. 

Registration ends September 15. No refunds after August 15. 

Conference Schedule:
The most up to date conference schedule is available here.

Tour Details:
Attendees will select tour preferences during registration. Space is limited and preferences are not guaranteed, but we will try to honor preferences on a first-come, first-served basis. 

  • Thursday Option #1—Laurelhurst Park: At Laurelhurst Park, participants will split into two groups. Catherine McNeur of Portland State University will lead one tour, sharing her work exploring and documenting Portland’s historic sites through her teaching and public history work, including Instagram, while Friends of Laurelhurst Park will lead a second group focused on the park’s stewardship and ongoing care. 
  • Thursday Option #2—Mount Tabor Park: At Mount Tabor, participants will split into two groups. The Architectural Heritage Center will lead one tour, highlighting the park’s history, while a second group, led by Lise Gervais from Friends of Mount Tabor Park, will explore stewardship and the site’s unique volcanic landscape.  
  • Friday Option #1—Forest Park: Led by Forest Park Conservancy, this tour traces the long arc of Forest Park’s creation—from early Olmsted Brothers-era visioning to its eventual realization through sustained advocacy and stewardship. 
  • Friday Option #2—Albina Neighborhood: Explore Lower Albina with Albina Vision Trust and its once-in-a-generation effort to restore Portland’s historically Black neighborhood. This tour shares how a community-led vision is transforming a district carved up by racist urban renewal policy into a national model for equitable redevelopment, bringing families back and reimagining the future of this 94-acre central city district. Find out more about Albina Vision Trust and their mission by watching the video here.
  • Friday Option #3—Peninsula Park: At Peninsula Park, the Friends of Peninsula Park Rose Garden will share insights into ongoing stewardship and community care, with the historic rose garden—likely still in bloom—serving as a centerpiece of the visit, alongside the park’s design ties to Emanuel T. Mische and the broader Olmsted legacy. 
  • Friday Option #4—Park Blocks: Join Laurie Matthews, FASLA, of the University of Oregon for a tour of Portland’s Park Blocks as she shares perspectives from her work with MIG and her involvement in the South Park Blocks Master Plan. 

Lodging 
We’ve secured two room blocks near the conference venue, available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

The Paramount Hotel Portland | 808 SW Taylor St 
$99 per night 
Close walk to conference venue 
Book using this link while availability lasts

Kimpton Hotel Vintage Portland | 422 SW Broadway 
Booking Window Closed 
 
LA CES 
The Olmsted Network is a LA CES™ approved provider and can offer 12 PDH (LA CES/HSW) professional development hours to those participating in this educational experience. Attendees seeking continuing education credit must sign in and complete a post-event survey.  

By registering for this event, you consent to receive occasional emails from the Olmsted Network.