Looking for cost-saving services and products? Here’s where to find them at the Annual Conference and Expo

The Annual Conference and Expo, scheduled for Sept. 7-9 in Long Beach, is the place to discover solutions for cities. In addition to learning from peers through engaging educational sessions, attendees can visit an expo hall brimming with opportunities to discover new city-focused services and organizations.

To get the most out of your time in the expo hall, review an online map and list of exhibitors — updated regularly as new vendors are added — before visiting. The expo hall will feature over 200 cost-saving services and state-of-the-art products, including 35 first-time exhibitors. Arrive ready with information from your departments on the types of products and services they need to solve challenges or enhance their communities.

The expo hall will also feature the winners of this year’s prestigious Helen Putnam Award for Excellence. Each year, the award program honors and promotes the outstanding work of member cities throughout the state that have made unique contributions to community residents and businesses, which have resulted in lower costs or more effective delivery of services.

Attendees can also participate in a scavenger hunt for the Helen Putnam Award for Excellence winners. Find all the Helen Putnam booths in the Expo Hall for a chance at a prize courtesy of Cal Cities League Partners.

Evening receptions

One of the best times to visit the expo hall is during the Host City Reception on Wednesday, Sept. 7. Stroll through the expo as you make new friends and see old ones while enjoying light refreshments.

After the Host City Reception, walk over to the Aquarium of the Pacific for the annual CitiPAC Reception. Unwind after a jam-packed first day by strolling through aquatic exhibits featuring jellyfish, stingrays, and penguins or by enjoying some good food, beverages, live music, and lighthearted games.

The CitiPAC Reception is a great way to meet colleagues from throughout the state while supporting advocacy efforts for cities at the ballot box. To skip the line at the CitiPac Reception, RSVP after registering for the annual conference.

Registration and hotels 

Conference registration is required to attend all conference activities, including department, division, and caucus meetings, and the General Assembly. Officials that register for the annual conference by Monday, July 27, will get an early bird discount. Full conference registration includes access to educational sessions, most receptions, Thursday lunch with exhibitors, and Friday’s closing luncheon.  

Registration for all three days starts at $650 for city officials from any member city. The sharing of registration is prohibited.  

There are several hotels surrounding the convention center, including a small number of hotel rooms at reduced rates for registered attendees. After registering for the conference, attendees will receive a link to the discounted hotel rooms in a confirmation email. The deadline to reserve a discounted hotel room is Tuesday, Aug. 9.   

If you have special needs, please contact Conference Registrar Megan Dunn before Friday, Aug. 5. For additional questions, please email education@calcities.org. 

Individuals falsely claiming to be the housing bureau/service for the 2022 Annual Conference and Expo may attempt to contact you. Cal Cities has contracted with LiveCon as the official housing service for the annual conference. Official emails regarding the conference will come from a calcities.org or live-con.com email account and the actual hotel.