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.