Each year, at NCRAL’s annual business meeting, the Region receives offers for hosting upcoming meetings. The following affiliates have agreed to hosting future meetings. We are still in need for additional hosts, but especially for 2027 and the years beyond. It’s never too early to start planning to host. A NCRAL Convention Planning Guide is being prepared for use by hosts. You can download the Guide from the link near the bottom of this page.
Future Conventions:
- NCRAL 2026 – May 15-17 Cedar Rapids, IA: Cedar Amateur Astronomers
See promotional video Mission Possible (or here, 380MB). Click or tap on video to start sound. - NCRAL 2027 – preliminary: Milwaukee Astronomical Society
- NCRAL 2028 – OPEN
Past Conventions:
- NCRAL 2025 – April 25-27 Minnetonka, MN: Regional Conference Committee
- NCRAL 2024 – Green Bay, WI: Neville Public Museum Astronomical Society
- NCRAL 2023 – May 5-6 North Utica, IL: Twin City Amateur Astronomers
- NCRAL 2022 – May 13-14 in Port Washington, WI: Northern Cross Science Foundation
- NCRAL 2021 – Green Bay, WI: Neville Public Museum Astronomical Society
CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC. - NCRAL 2020 – May 1-2 in Port Washington, WI: Northern Cross Science Foundation CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
- NCRAL 2019 – Moline, IL: Popular Astronomy Club
- NCRAL 2018 – Sturgeon Bay, WI: Door Peninsula Astronomical Society
- NCRAL 2017 – Lanesboro, MN: Rochester Astronomy Club
- NCRAL 2016 – Normal, IL: Twin City Amateur Astronomers
- NCRAL 2015 – Morehead/Fargo: canceled
- NCRAL 2014 – Port Washington, WI: Northern Cross Science Foundation
- NCRAL 2013 – Rochester, MN: Rochester Astronomy Club
- NCRAL 2012 – Chicago, IL: Chicago Astronomical Society (held jointly with ALCon 2012)
- NCRAL 2011 – Green Bay, WI: Neville Public Museum Astronomical Society
- NCRAL 2010 – Bloomington, IL: Twin City Amateur Astronomers
NCRAL Convention Planning Guide
Hosting a NCRAL convention is work, but it can also be quite rewarding and at times fun. Some NCRAL-affiliated clubs have hosted an NCRAL convention several times as the above list shows. It is often the same people doing the work. If it were an onerous task, they wouldn’t offer to host again and again.
One thing to keep in mind is that the convention is only about 24 hours long and, in the scope of things, doesn’t really take all that much work. Yes, there might be 50-100 attendees present, but the plans are essentially the same for everyone. With lots of hands contributing to the work, the load is light.
To learn more about hosting a Regional convention, download our NCRAL Convention Planning Guidelines (VERSION July 12, 2025).
NCRAL Online 
