NATA 2026: Where the Fun Happens
By Dylan Orrell, NATA Director of Marketing and Communications
Let’s be honest. Convention isn’t just about CEUs. Yes, you’re here to learn. Yes, you’ll leave better at your job. But some of the best parts of the week happen outside the sessions. The moments when you reconnect, meet someone new or just take a breath and enjoy being around people who get it. We’ve built more of that into the 77th NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo June 29-July 2 in Philadelphia.
Start Here: NATA Happy Hour
5:15 to 6:15 p.m. June 29 | Pennsylvania Convention Center
As soon as you pick up your badge, you’re in. The NATA Happy Hour is your first stop. No pressure, no overplanning. Grab your complimentary drink, take a lap and ease into the week. Whether you’re meeting up with colleagues or walking in solo, this is the easiest way to get into convention mode. One drink is on us. Everything after that is up to you.
Turn It Up: NATA Opening Reception With Mixed Nuts
7 to 9 p.m. June 30 | Pennsylvania Convention Center
Back for the third year and bigger this time, the Mixed Nuts are headlining the NATA Opening Reception. This is not a stand-around-and-network kind of event. It’s loud, it’s packed and it’s a full-on party. Singing, dancing, celebrating. The kind of night people talk about the next day. Your ticket is included with full registration, and it comes with a drink and light hors d’oeuvres. Bring a guest if you would like. Just don’t skip it.
Start the Day Together: Opening Session Keynotes
8 to 9 a.m. June 30-July 2 | Pennsylvania Convention Center
This is where the entire convention comes together. Each morning starts with a keynote that sets the tone of the day. Different perspectives, different backgrounds, but all grounded in ideas that connect back to the work you do. It’s not about sitting through a talk. It’s about stepping out of your day-to-day and hearing something that sticks with you longer than the session itself. And just as important, it’s a shared experience. Everyone in the room is starting from the same place.
Honor the Profession: NATA Hall of Fame Induction & National Awards Ceremony
1 to 2 p.m. June 30 | Pennsylvania Convention Center
These are the moments when the room shifts. The NATA Hall of Fame Induction & National Awards Ceremony is your chance to step back and see the impact of this profession through the people who’ve shaped it. You’ll hear stories that remind you why you got into athletic training in the first place. You’ll see peers recognized for work that often happens behind the scenes. And you’ll walk out with a different kind of energy than you came in with. It’s not loud. It’s not fast-paced. But it matters.
The In-Between Moments Matter Most
The schedule is stacked. Sessions, the AT Expo, conversations that turn into more conversations. But the real value shows up in the spaces around it. The quick catch-up that turns into a new idea. The introduction that leads to something bigger. The conversations you didn’t plan. That’s why these events exist. Not as extras. As part of the experience.
Don’t Just Show Up – Be There
You’ll get what you need from the education. That’s a given. But convention hits different when you actually take part in it. Show up early. Stay a little longer. Go to the things that aren’t required. That’s where the energy is. That’s where the connections happen.
That’s where it all comes together.
