About The Conference

Walla Walla, Washington is home to VAF's 2026 conference. It is the first VAF conference held in the Pacific Northwest and it will be well worth the trek. From accommodations in the historic Marcus Whitman Hotel and cool evening events to two days of tours through landscapes never before seen by VAFers, this is a conference not to be missed.

Dates: May 27-30, 2026.

Note: The conference begins on Thursday morning, May 28, with bus tours. There is no Wednesday plenary due to travel schedules. Attendees should plan to arrive in Walla Walla on either Tuesday, May 26 or Wednesday, May 27.

 (Hot links in orange will take you directly to Columbia River Plateau Conference Pages.)

More detailed information about the conference may be found on the About the Conference page. 

A tentative schedule and costs may be found on the Conference Schedule pages.

Hotel and transportation information may be found here.

The conference is headquartered at Marcus Whitman Hotel in Walla Walla, Washington, Wednesday-Friday, May 27-30, with and all Thursday and Friday tours departing from the hotel. 

Paper sessions will also be at the hotel. The closing banquet and membership meeting will be held at the Motor Company, 2 blocks from the Marcus Whitman Hotel.

The conference will officially begin on Thursday, May 28 with the bus tours. 

Conference Registration costs can be found here.

Full and Early Registration will open on February 16, 2026 and will close on April 15, 2026. 

À la Carte and Late Registration will be from April 15 - April 25, 2026.

Contact Julia Griffith, VAF Conference Coordinator, with questions about the conference at conference@vafweb.org .