Secure your spot today for ELEVATE, presented by NALP and powered by Cat, as registration is now open. This year’s event will be held in Tampa, Florida, from Nov. 8-11, 2026.
ELEVATE is evolving, and this year features numerous new events and elements to take the landscape industry’s premier conference to the next level.
“If you have never attended ELEVATE before and are looking to really take that next step in your business, ELEVATE is the place to be,” says Kim McCrossen, director of education for NALP. “There is literally something for everyone – top-tier education from industry experts, unlimited relationship-building opportunities, and it’s fun. It’s not your typical conference where you go, learn and come home. ELEVATE is the place where you can immerse yourself with others who do exactly what you do, big or small. If you are on the fence about coming and a little uncomfortable, that’s fantastic… that’s when the magic starts to happen!”
What’s New?
Each year, NALP listens to feedback from the previous ELEVATE and works to fine-tune the event to make it even better.
Because learning from one another is one of the most important parts of ELEVATE for attendees, and the role-based roundtable discussions were received so well last year, we are continuing to build on this idea. This is where ELEVATE Connect sessions come in. There are a number of different interactive experiences with various formats, so you can network with your peers and solve problems together.
One of the new additions to ELEVATE Connect is the hot topic roundtable breakfast, where attendees will hear from a panel of experts around a specific topic and then take the conversation back to their own table for more in-depth discussions.
ELEVATE Connect also offers the Let’s Talk Shop specialty roundtable discussions, where topics center around your business’s service type and the role-based roundtable discussion lunch, where you can talk with individuals in similar job positions.
Connecting will also take place on the ELEVATE Expo floor with the new and improved Campfire Conversations, which are now called Peer Circle Chats, where a small group of industry professionals can have deeper conversations around a specific topic.
Also new to the Expo floor this year are the Innovation Stage sessions that showcase real-world solutions. Contractors will co-present with a supplier their success story of how a product or service solved a specific industry pain point.
“All of this is happening on the trade show floor – so there are still lots of opportunities to continue with education while you are checking out all the exhibitors at this year’s expo,” McCrossen says.
The Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS) Annual Conference will be co-hosted with ELEVATE for the first time this year, bringing together grounds, landscape, and lawn care professionals for a broader, more connected learning experience. Attendees may participate in both NALP and PGMS concurrent education sessions. PGMS’s sessions will focus on practical education that covers everything from turf management to workforce development.
Education Tracks and Main Stage Speakers
One of the aspects that sets ELEVATE apart is that the education is selected by landscape professionals, for landscape professionals. This year’s educational lineup features 36 concurrent sessions to choose from.
“This year, we’ve organized our education into six focused tracks designed to better align with attendees’ roles, responsibilities, and stage of growth within their companies,” McCrossen says.
The education tracks include:
- Executive Growth & Strategy
- Leadership & Culture
- Operations & Field Excellence
- Sales, Marketing & Client Growth,
- AI, Technology & Innovation
- Sustainability & Technical Expertise
“We realize that not everyone can attend everything – and that is intentional,” McCrossen says. “Our hope is that you and your company can come to ELEVATE, divide and conquer and take it all in. The goal is that when you go back home, you have new ideas from all angles to elevate your team and take your business to the next level.”
ELEVATE also features opening and closing Main Stage speakers to set the mood for the event and to send you out inspired as you return home. Opening Main Stage speaker Ryan Leak will share his story on how to see failure as a stepping stone to success, while closing Main Stage speaker Juan Bendana will inspire leaders to stay engaged with their goals and take aligned action.
Welcome Reception and ELEVATE Bash
ELEVATE isn’t just all work and no play either. Many of the networking events are designed to provide energy and entertainment as attendees connect with peers. Two notable instances are the Welcome Reception, held on Sunday, Nov. 8 and the popular ELEVATE Bash, held on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
“This year we will be kicking off ELEVATE along the Tampa Riverwalk with a taste of Tampa-inspired culinary experience, an unforgettable waterfront backdrop and opportunities to meet and connect with new and old friends,” McCrossen says.
To close out the event, the ELEVATE Bash will be held Splitsville Tiki + Social. Bowling, billiards, ping pong and Belgian feather bowling (a blend of bocce ball, shuffleboard and curling) will be available to let your competitive spirit loose.
“It’s the perfect way to let your guard down (just a little) to get everyone to come together to celebrate another year at ELEVATE,” McCrossen says.
Pre- and Post-Conference Events
If you want to enhance the value of ELEVATE even further, you can also attend several special events held before and after the conference.
Entering its third year, the NALP Women’s Forum, held on Sunday, Nov. 8, from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., provides a unique opportunity for women in the landscape industry to gather and empower both personal and professional growth. Keynote speaker Rachel Druckenmiller will share how attendees can overcome self-doubt and speak up with confidence. This is a separate ticketed event, and ELEVATE registration is required.
Also, available this year are two new pre-ELEVATE events held on Nov. 8: the AI Executive Stack Workshop and Advocacy Academy.
The AI Executive Stack Workshop, held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., is a hands-on implementation experience designed specifically for landscape industry leaders who want to turn AI into a competitive advantage. Led by Justin White and Sean Laux with K&D Landscaping, this event is built for CEOs, presidents and senior leaders running companies from approximately $5 million to $50 million in revenue who want to lead the industry in technology adoption. This is a separate ticketed event, and ELEVATE registration is required.
The Advocacy Academy, held from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., equips NALP volunteer advocates and engaged ELEVATE attendees with the knowledge, messaging, and confidence to speak clearly and effectively on behalf of the landscape and lawn care industry. This event is complimentary for registered ELEVATE attendees, but an RSVP is required.
Following the Closing Main Stage session on Wednesday, Nov. 11, you have the opportunity to go On Tour with Sunrise Landscape, a full-service commercial landscape company that has been serving Florida since 1978. More than a facility tour, this event will cover how Sunrise approaches growth through acquisitions and organic sales strategy, develops leaders and creates structure across a multi-location operation. This is a separate ticketed event.
“ELEVATE is the place where you can take your business to the next level,” McCrossen says. “An event like this delivers practical ideas, peer-driven insights, and real-world solutions that help companies of every size solve challenges faster, strengthen leadership, and grow more strategically. No matter how big your company is, you will leave with actionable takeaways and stronger connections – that’s a promise!”
Don’t miss ELEVATE in Tampa, Florida, on Nov. 8-11, 2026. Register now!
