Make New Connections at NPC26 During APA Divisions Fair
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- NPC26 attendees in Detroit can meet representatives from all 25 APA divisions and seven interest groups at the APA Divisions Fair on Saturday, April 25, from 12:30–1:30 p.m. ET.
- The walk-through fair is designed to help planners quickly find a specialty-focused network for belonging, mentoring, and long-term engagement within the profession.
- Participants who complete a Division Quest Bingo card can earn a limited-edition deck of playing cards with all APA division logos (while supplies last).
Have you been searching for something lately or feeling like you need more connection and meaning in your career? The American Planning Association's (APA) National Planning Conference (NPC26) in Detroit provides numerous networking and connection-building opportunities. One option you may want to include on your calendar is the APA Divisions Fair in the HUB from 12:30-1:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 25.
Designed to help planners quickly find their professional community, the event is a one-stop shop where NPC26 attendees can meet representatives from all 25 APA divisions and seven interest groups in one place. "APA divisions represent the wide diversity of planning specialties and interests," says Deborah Myerson, AICP, Divisions Council chair. "For many planners, divisions provide an important place for belonging and community within APA."
The timing couldn't be better; now all APA members are given the opportunity to select one division, included with their membership. Additional divisions are available for just $25 a year.
Flush with Opportunities
The 2026 Divisions Fair is set up as a walk-through experience. All the divisions will be represented, with information and staff or volunteers to talk to in an informal, comfortable setting.
New this year is the interactive Division Quest Bingo card that sends fair participants on a discovery mission to collect information and insights from different divisions. Attendees who complete their Bingo card can redeem it for a limited-edition pack of playing cards featuring all the APA Division logos, designed exclusively for this event and available only while supplies last.
Myerson hopes attendees leave the fair with at least one new connection and a reason to stay engaged with the profession long after the conference ends. "Planning is a broad field, and it can sometimes feel like you're the only person in the room focused on your particular area of work," she says. "A division changes that. I hope members walk away from their first division event or webinar thinking, 'These are my people.' That connection, over time, shapes careers."
In Case You Didn't Know: APA Interest Groups
APA also has seven Interest Groups — free, volunteer-led communities with no dues or membership requirements. They cover a wide range of topics, including Asian and Pacific Islanders, smart cities, health equity, community engagement, design thinking, and water planning. "Interest Groups are also a great way to connect around a shared passion," Myerson says. "Many planners use them alongside their division memberships to stay plugged into multiple areas of the profession."
Top image: NPC26 is taking place in Detroit this April. Photo by Vadym Terelyuk/iStock/Getty Images Plus.
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