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Conference Preview 2026
NGAUS members. Start. Your. Engines. The association is revving up as the 148th General Conference & Exhibition roars into a city Aug. 28 to 31 famous for hosting big events, notably the Indianapolis 500.
The conference returns to Indianapolis for the fifth time. The last time was just two weeks before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, which significantly changed National Guard service. Earlier NGAUS gatherings in “Naptown” were in 1899, 1900 and 1983. Washington, D.C., is the only city to host more conferences, and many of those were set in the nation’s capital during wartime.
“As the calendar turns over to 2026, we are thrilled to roll out the red carpet to all conference attendees,” said Linda Conti, the National Guard Association of Indiana’s conference chairperson.
That red carpet leads to a city Condé Nast Traveler calls one of the 14 best places to visit in 2026. For some context, Oahu in Hawaii was 15th. The magazine lauded Indianapolis as walkable and bike-friendly, with 38 miles of new trails and bike lanes.
Among its other attractions are the world’s largest children’s museum, multiple war memorials, vibrant cultural districts, and a significant role as a major transportation and economic hub in the Midwest.
Indianapolis is also a big sports town, and not just automobile racing. The city is home to the NFL’s Colts and the NBA’s Pacers. The WNBA’s Fever, which has one of the best-known basketball players in the world, Caitlin Clark, also plays here. And the NCAA is headquartered in the city.
The affinity for sports extends statewide. The iconic 1986 movie Hoosiers shows how popular basketball is in the rural areas. It tells the story of a small-town basketball high school team and its journey to the 1951 state championship. But football is stealing hearts. Indiana University, which has long been known as a basketball school and had little previous success on the gridiron, just won the program’s first national championship in college football.
The NGAUS conference is the association’s annual business meeting. Army and Air Guard officers from all 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia gather to network, set their legislative agenda, and hear from America’s civilian and military leaders. Family members and local officials also attend.
Another major feature is a one-of-kind industry exhibition. The annual tradeshow reflects the Guard’s range of missions: Army, Air Force and domestic response. Most military exhibitions focus on one of the three. Nearly 350 companies displayed their products and services last year.
Conference proceedings will unfold under the theme The National Guard: America’s Strength at Home & Abroad.
The city
Indianapolis didn’t exist when the state legislature chose it as its capital in 1821. Settlers overcame isolation and illness before the arrival of the railroads in 1847. Civil War veteran Eli Lilly opened a pharmacy in the 1870s and by the turn of the century the city was becoming a commercial and cultural center. In the early decades of the 1900s, the city became an automotive hub, becoming a rival to Detroit.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway was nicknamed the Brickyard as its first racing surface was paved with bricks in 1909. (You’ll read more about the IMS later, as many social events will be in and around the speedway.) The 110th edition of the Indianapolis 500 is set for May 24. Last year’s race drew 350,000 spectators. Indianapolis is also the site for this year’s Final Four of men’s college basketball.
Outside of sports, top companies in Indianapolis today include Salesforce, Cummins and Simon Property Group. The city has also one of the top life science clusters in the United States and is home to a large, highly specialized, and diverse health science industry.
We are thrilled to roll out the red carpet to all conference attendees.
—Linda Conti of the National Guard Association of Indiana
The conference
Most attendees will arrive via Indianapolis International Airport (IND), located less than 15 miles from downtown. Major airlines offer nonstop flights from 50 cities nationwide to IND. Long known as the Crossroads of America, more than half of the U.S. population resides within a day’s drive to the city, so that could be an option for many.
Indiana’s conference ambassadors will be wearing “yellow shirts” to pay homage to those volunteers who wear the color during the Indy 500 races. You’ll find them helping at the airport, inside the hotels and other places throughout the conference.
The host state is providing ample bus transportation to/from the airport/hotels and for all major social events. Of course, Indianapolis is a very walkable city if you want to explore the local streets. And Conti says most of the events will be very close to the conference hotels.
In fact, all the hotels are within five blocks of the Indiana Convention Center, with most connected by skywalks.
Golf is the first event on the agenda. The Sponsors Golf Tournament on Aug. 27 and the NGAUS tournament Aug. 28 are both set for the Brickyard Crossing golf course. Originally built in 1929, and redesigned by world-renowned Pete Dye in 1992, the layout features 14 holes outside the backstretch of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and four holes through the infield inside the track.
Another event that day will take conference attendees for a tour of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the IMS Museum, which reopened last year after an $89 million renovation. On display are many cars and trophies, including the 1911 Marmon Wasp, winner of the inaugural Indy 500 riven by Ray Harroun. A separate walking tour of the city’s many war memorials downtown is also on tap. VISIT INDY
The 5K Fun Run takes off early morning through downtown Aug. 29. Officials are hoping to have the race routed alongside the Indianapolis Central Canal. Like Milwaukee, last year’s conference host city, a canal walk follows a local waterway.
The business/professional development sessions and the tradeshow open later that day inside the Indiana Convention Center, which is adjacent to Lucas Oil Stadium, home of Indianapolis Colts. Three members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, including the JCS chairman, spoke last year.
Similar to the Reno, Nevada, conference in 2023, a calendar switch of the Governor’s Reception and States Dinner will occur with the States Dinner, historically the final social event, scheduled for the Sagamore Ballroom inside the convention center Aug. 29, and the Governor’s Reception at the Indiana State Museum on Aug. 31.
Hospitality Night will take place on Aug. 30, and is always a conference favorite as the states and territories show off food and drink they are known for while inviting all to stop by for a taste.
Beyond the conference
There will be plenty of time to get outside the convention center and your hotels to explore the city. Downtown shopping includes shops in the retro-vibe neighborhood of Fountain-Fletcher and boutiques on Mass Ave., including the nearly 100-years old Stout’s Shoes, all within walking distance from the conference hotels.
Public art takes form with “Indy” sculptures all around city. The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is the world’s largest children’s museum. Indianapolis Zoo is in White River State Park, along the scenic White River. Newfields with its lush gardens and historic homes calls itself A Place For Nature & The Arts. And Indianapolis is second only to Washington, D.C., in dedicated acreage to monuments and memorials honoring our nation’s fallen.
Whatever your pleasure, make sure to walk down the city’s riverwalk to grab some refreshments. Food & Wine recognized Indy as One of America’s Next Great Food Cities, while Condé Nast Traveler awarded it the nation’s Most Underrated Food City.
Foodies will want to try the (spicy) Infamous St. Elmo Steak House Shrimp Cocktail. Pork tenderloin sandwiches, BBQ and German fare are also local faves.
Don’t forget to come early and stay late, as conference hotels will be honoring the conference rate for the days before and after the conference and there is plenty to see and do after work is done.
As Conti sums up, Indianapolis knows a thing or two about hosting big events.
Vroom … Vroom …
RICH ARNOLD works in the NGAUS Communications Department. He can be reached at [email protected].
REGISTRATION, TRAVEL, HOTEL & EXHIBIT INFORMATION
Registration
NGAUS members should register through their state/territory Guard association. Exhibitors and industry representatives must register at www.ngaus.org/conference. Registration is set to open in March. The fee is $200. It covers ground transportation, admission to all business/professional development sessions, company-grade professional development, the exhibition and opening-day brunch on the tradeshow floor, the mixers, the States Dinner and the Governor’s Reception.
Flights
Attendees should use Indianapolis International Airport (IND), located less than 15 miles from the city. Most major airlines provide nonstop or one-stop service daily.
Ground transportation
The National Guard Association of Indiana will provide free shuttles between the airport and all conference hotels on the primary transportation days, Aug. 27, 28 and Sept. 1. Shuttles will also be available to and from official conference hotels to the Indiana Convention Center and to and from conference events and activities.
Hotels
There will be 11 official conference hotels, most are connected via skywalks to the convention center. State/territory hotel assignments are available at www.ngaus.org/conference.
Exhibit booth sales
An exhibition prospectus, registration forms and a map of sold booths on the tradeshow floor are available in the “Exhibitors” section at www.ngaus.org/conference.
Learn more
Find out more about Indianapolis at www.visitindy.com. Visit www.ngaus.org/conference for the latest information on conference events. NATIONAL GUARD and Washington Report, the association’s weekly e-newsletter, will also provide updates. So will NGAUS social media channels, including X (formerly Twitter) hashtag: #NGAUS2026.
The business and company-grade officer professional development agendas will be posted Aug. 1. Many state/territory association websites will post their specific plans for the conference. The conference app will be available in July.
