2026 Fall District Convention
The 2026 IL District Fall Convention is September 25 & 26, 2026 and registration is open!
We’re putting the finishing touches on the schedule, but both hotel registration & convention registration are open. Here’s the hotel registration info, the event registration info, and some commentary from district president Ben Dirks.
Headquarters Hotel:
DoubleTree by Hilton Bloomington (10 Brickyard Dr, Bloomington, IL 61701). Register at a discounted rate here.
Competition Venue:
Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts (600 N East St, Bloomington, IL 61701)
Full convention registration is via EventBrite — click here.
Over the past year, your District Board has spent a great deal of time discussing ways to improve the convention experience. Rather than making changes simply for the sake of change, we focused on making adjustments that allow more members to enjoy everything our convention has to offer. The first enhancement you’ll notice is that the Saturday Chorus Contest will begin at 10:00 a.m. We know this is different, but there’s a purpose behind it: We listened. One of the most common pieces of feedback we’ve received is that many members rarely get to participate in convention activities like SMAG Fest, the Polecat Program, the Tag Zone, and other educational and social events because chorus commitments occupied much of the day. By moving the chorus contest to the morning, those convention events can take place after lunch allowing many more members to enjoy the full convention experience.
The second enhancement involves registration deadlines.If you plan to compete in Bloomington, please make sure you purchase your full convention “all events” registration online by Saturday, September 12. Competitors have always been required to register for the convention; the difference this year is that competitor registration will close before convention weekend and will not be available onsite. Your chapter leaders will receive regular reminders to help ensure everyone is registered, and if technology isn’t your favorite tag partner, don’t hesitate to ask someone in your chapter for assistance. Because registration must be finalized before the convention, anyone who has not completed their registration by the September 12 deadline will unfortunately be unable to perform with their quartet or chorus. We certainly don’t want anyone to miss the opportunity to step on stage, so please plan to register early.
For our spectators, online registration will also close on September 12. This allows us to prepare name badges and convention materials for everyone who registers in advance.
Didn’t register by the deadline? You’re still more than welcome to join us! Spectators may purchase single-session tickets ($20 per session) at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts box office throughout the weekend. The registration table at convention will be dedicated to pre-registered badge pickup, convention materials, and answering questions.
We recognize these adjustments may feel significant, but every decision was made with one goal in mind: creating a smoother, more enjoyable convention experience for everyone.
A complete convention schedule will be posted soon, so keep an eye out.
