FFA National Convention Indianapolis 2026: Complete Attendee Guide
Updated March 7, 2026
Everything students, advisors, and chaperones need to know before arriving in Indianapolis.
National FFA Convention 2026: October 28–31 · Indiana Convention Center & Lucas Oil Stadium · Full event info
Convention Overview & Dates
The 2026 National FFA Convention runs October 28–31, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Indiana Convention Center serves as the main hub for sessions, the Career Show, and chapter meetings, while Lucas Oil Stadium hosts the Opening and Closing Ceremonies — two of the most memorable moments of any FFA member's chapter experience.
Registration and badge pickup. Delegate orientation sessions. A good day to get your bearings in the Convention Center, pick up chapter materials, and walk the skywalk to Lucas Oil Stadium before the crowds arrive. Many chapters settle into hotels and plan their week.
The Opening Ceremony is an experience unlike anything most FFA members have seen. 60,000+ people in blue corduroy jackets fill an NFL stadium. There is music, the official opening of the convention, recognition of retiring officers, and moments that many members say they remember for the rest of their lives. Arrive early — the stadium fills up.
Career Show opens in the Indiana Convention Center. Business sessions and delegate voting. Workshops, keynote speakers, and career development events run throughout the day. CDE (Career Development Event) recognition sessions. Chapters typically plan their Career Show visits and afternoon sessions on this day.
Career Show continues. Business sessions. Star Award presentations. Chapter group time — many advisors plan a group activity or team dinner on Friday evening. Officer candidate speeches. One of the busiest days on the convention floor.
The National Officer election results are announced. Retiring officers give their final addresses. The new officer team is installed. Many members describe the Closing Ceremony as emotional — it is the end of the convention, the farewell from the outgoing officers, and for seniors, possibly their last convention as an active FFA member. Bring tissues. Seriously.
Registration & Credentials
Chapter registration for the National FFA Convention is handled through your state FFA association. Individual members do not register independently — your chapter advisor coordinates registration through the state office, which submits the chapter delegation to National FFA.
Chapters are allocated a set number of voting delegates based on membership size. All other chapter members attend as general registrants. Only credentialed delegates can vote in business sessions — but all registered members can attend sessions and the Career Show. Your advisor will know how many delegate slots your chapter has.
Badges and credentials are picked up at the Indiana Convention Center on arrival day (Wednesday). Have your chapter registration confirmation ready. Lines are longest in the early afternoon — arriving Wednesday morning or evening reduces wait time.
Download the official FFA app before you leave home. It has the full schedule, floor maps of the Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium seating charts, and updates pushed in real time during the convention. It is genuinely useful — the Convention Center is large and the app makes navigation much easier.
Session Schedule & Ceremonies
The two centerpieces of the National FFA Convention are the Opening Ceremony and Closing Ceremony, both held at Lucas Oil Stadium. These are not optional. Every member who makes the trip should attend both.
Opening Ceremony — Lucas Oil Stadium
The Opening Ceremony kicks off the convention on Wednesday evening. When 60,000 people fill Lucas Oil Stadium and the "Official Call to Order" is given, it is one of the most powerful moments in agricultural education. The ceremony features the retiring National Officer team, the official opening of the convention, and programming that sets the tone for the week. For students who grew up in small-town FFA chapters, seeing the full scale of the organization for the first time is often described as a turning point.
The stadium is connected to the Indiana Convention Center via an indoor skywalk — no need to go outside. For groups traveling by bus, the stadium has designated bus drop-off areas. Seating is general admission for most sections; arrive 45–60 minutes early to get your chapter seated together. Bring your blue jacket.
Closing Ceremony — Lucas Oil Stadium
The Closing Ceremony on Saturday is where the new National Officer team is elected and installed, and where the outgoing officers give their farewell addresses. If the Opening Ceremony is powerful, the Closing is emotional. Officers who have spent a year traveling the country representing FFA members give their final speeches. It is common for people in the audience — students, advisors, and parents alike — to cry. Plan accordingly.
Business Sessions
Between ceremonies, the convention runs formal business sessions where chapter delegates vote on constitutional amendments, resolutions, and the national officer slate. These sessions are in the Indiana Convention Center. Non-delegates can observe many sessions but cannot vote. Check the schedule for session locations — they move between rooms in the ICC depending on the agenda.
Workshops & Keynote Speakers
The convention schedules dozens of workshops, leadership breakouts, and keynote presentations across multiple rooms in the Convention Center. Topics range from agricultural careers and entrepreneurship to personal development and public speaking. Workshop registration is typically first-come, first-served — popular sessions fill quickly. Check the FFA app for times and locations on arrival day.
The Career Show & Expo
The National FFA Career Show is one of the largest agricultural career expositions in the country. Held inside the Indiana Convention Center, it features hundreds of exhibitors from agriculture, agribusiness, food science, conservation, and related fields — companies actively recruiting FFA members for internships, scholarships, and careers.
Even as a high school student, bring a simple resume or a list of your FFA activities, SAE project, and any awards. Many recruiters are specifically looking for engaged FFA members. Business casual dress is appropriate — you do not need a suit, but looking put-together helps. Definitely wear your blue jacket.
Hundreds of scholarships are promoted at the Career Show and through convention materials. National FFA scholarships, state FFA foundation scholarships, and company-specific awards are all represented. Advisors: help members identify scholarship deadlines and application requirements before leaving for convention.
The Career Show spans a significant portion of the Convention Center floor. It is busy on Thursday and less crowded on Friday. Map out the exhibitors you want to see using the FFA app before you walk the floor. Allow at least two hours for a thorough visit — three if you want to have real conversations with recruiters.
Collect business cards or scan QR codes at booths. Send a quick thank-you email within a week of returning home — most FFA members do not do this, and it makes a lasting impression on recruiters.
Activities for Students & Advisors
Convention week is not only sessions and the Career Show. Indianapolis offers plenty to do between scheduled events, and most chapters build in some free time for students to explore the city.
For Students
A 10-minute walk from the Convention Center. The Soldiers and Sailors Monument is the center of downtown Indianapolis and a good orientation landmark. The circle has shops, restaurants, and is a great spot for chapter photos. Students from small towns often find this a memorable introduction to a major city.
The pedestrian corridor running alongside the Convention Center. Food vendors, outdoor seating, and a lively atmosphere during convention week. A convenient lunch stop between sessions without going far from the ICC.
A short walk from downtown, the park includes the Indianapolis Zoo, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, the Indiana State Museum, and the NCAA Hall of Champions. Good for a Friday evening or a free Saturday morning before the Closing Ceremony. Most have admission fees, so plan budget accordingly.
About a 15-minute walk from the ICC — a walkable stretch of restaurants, boutiques, and galleries. Good for an evening outing as a chapter group. More neighborhood energy than the Convention Center area, and usually less crowded with convention attendees.
Plan a chapter photo in front of Lucas Oil Stadium before or after a ceremony — with all members in blue jackets, these photos are iconic. The Indiana Convention Center exterior and Monument Circle are also popular spots.
For Advisors
The convention includes sessions specifically for chapter advisors. These are worth attending — they cover curriculum, chapter program development, and networking with other ag teachers. Check the convention schedule for advisor-specific programming.
Most state FFA associations host a chapter advisor reception or meeting during convention week. Check with your state office for the time and location of your state's gathering — it is a good opportunity to connect with other advisors from your state.
Where to Eat
Feeding a chapter group on a student budget during a convention with 60,000 attendees takes some planning. Downtown Indianapolis has excellent options at every price point — you just need to know where to look and when to go.
Budget-Friendly Chapter Picks
The best deal in downtown Indianapolis for a group. Large portions, family-style setting, and prices that work for student budgets. Pasta entrees include soup or salad and spumoni ice cream. Can seat large groups. Very popular with FFA chapters — go early (before 5:30 PM) or you will wait.
Lunch buffet is one of the best values downtown. Students who have never tried Indian food often become converts here. Good for a group, fast-moving buffet line, and very affordable.
A step up in price but good for mixed groups. Large menu with something for everyone. Can handle groups — call ahead during convention week as they get busy. Good location near the Convention Center.
A convention staple. Large casual menu, good for groups, open late. Popular with advisors for evening meals after the students are settled. The kitchen handles volume well during big convention weeks.
Tacos and Mexican street food. Affordable, fast, and good. Worth the walk to Mass Ave for a change of scenery from the Convention Center area. Good for a chapter dinner on an evening with free time.
Quick Meals & Grab-and-Go
During convention week, the Georgia Street pedestrian corridor hosts food vendors. Fast, cheap, and steps from the Convention Center. Good for lunch between sessions when you do not have time for a sit-down meal.
The Indiana Convention Center has concessions and a food court. Convenient but priced for a captive audience. Budget-conscious chapters should plan most meals outside the ICC and treat convention food as a last resort.
One block from the Convention Center. Standard food court options (Subway, Panda Express, etc.) at normal prices. Useful for a quick, predictable lunch on a tight schedule.
Hotels & Housing
The National FFA Convention is one of the largest events Indianapolis hosts every year. Hotel rooms fill up fast — especially blocks that are walkable to the Indiana Convention Center. Most chapters book 6–12 months in advance.
National FFA negotiates room blocks at partner hotels specifically for convention attendees. Rates through the official housing portal are typically lower than booking direct. The portal also ensures your chapter is placed in a hotel appropriate for student groups. Check ffa.org/convention for the housing link — it opens months before the event and blocks sell out.
Indianapolis has an extensive indoor skywalk system that connects the Indiana Convention Center to several downtown hotels — meaning your chapter can walk from your room to sessions and to Lucas Oil Stadium without ever going outside. This matters in late October, when temperatures can be cold and rain is possible. The JW Marriott, Westin, Hyatt Regency, and Marriott Downtown all connect via skywalk.
Check hotels in Broad Ripple (15–20 minutes north by rideshare), Castleton (20 minutes north), or Greenwood (20 minutes south). These areas have more affordable options and chapters can commute in by bus or rideshare. This is common for chapters that book late — you can still have a great convention week from a hotel outside downtown.
Advisors: plan your room assignments before you arrive. Put student rooms near each other on the same floor when possible. Establish a clear curfew and check-in system. Know the hotel's fire exits before you let students explore the property. These are basic but frequently overlooked steps for large group travel.
Getting Around Indianapolis
For students from rural areas, navigating a major downtown for the first time can feel overwhelming. The good news: Indianapolis is a walkable, grid-based city and the convention is concentrated in a compact area. Once you get your bearings on Day 1, it is easy to navigate.
The Indianapolis skywalk is an above-ground enclosed walkway system connecting the Indiana Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium, the Convention Center hotels, and Circle Centre Mall. You can get from your hotel room to your session to the Career Show to Lucas Oil Stadium and back — without ever putting on a coat. Full skywalk map and hotel list.
Indianapolis is built on a grid. The Convention Center is bounded by Illinois Street, Maryland Street, Capitol Avenue, and South Street. Monument Circle is a 10-minute walk north on Illinois Street. If you can count city blocks, you can navigate downtown Indianapolis. The FFA app has a map — use it.
Many chapters travel by charter bus. The Indiana Convention Center has designated bus drop-off and pick-up areas. Coordinate your bus driver's schedule with your chapter's daily plan so everyone knows where and when to meet the bus. During ceremony days, expect congestion around Lucas Oil Stadium — buses may need to drop off several blocks away.
Uber and Lyft work well in downtown Indianapolis. Pickup zones are near the Convention Center main entrances. Walk one or two blocks from the main entrances for faster pickups and lower surge pricing during peak hours. Useful for advisors running errands or for small group dinner runs to Mass Ave or other neighborhoods.
Indianapolis International Airport is about 20 minutes from downtown by rideshare (typically $25–35 one way). No direct rail link exists between the airport and downtown. Chapters arriving by charter bus will typically be picked up at the airport and taken directly to the hotel; confirm logistics with your bus company before departure.
If your chapter is driving rather than busing, downtown Indianapolis has many parking garages within a few blocks of the Convention Center. Rates increase during major conventions. Pre-booking a spot through SpotHero or ParkWhiz can save $10–20 per day compared to drive-up rates. The Pan Am Plaza Garage is the closest to the ICC — it fills early on busy days. Full parking guide.
More Indianapolis Resources
Planning your chapter's trip to Indianapolis? These guides will help.