USITT Survival Guide
Welcome to USITT26 in Long Beach
March 18-21, 2026
This survival guide is your hub for any and all important information once you're onsite at USITT26. Below are important dates and times, quick links, a few tips and tricks, maps, and more! Remember to check your email when you're on-site for daily Conference highlights and events.
*PLEASE NOTE: USITT26 STORE AND ALL BARS ARE CASHLESS. CREDIT AND DEBIT CARDS ARE ACCEPTED.
Conference Location
Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center
300 E Ocean Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90802
Get to Know Our Host City
Visit our Visit Long Beach page for local discounts, entertainment, and a peek at some of the folks who are powering live entertainment in Long Beach!
Show Your Badge and Save:
Your USITT26 badge is your pass to help get deep discounts at local businesses and shops in the city. From riding bikes beachside, seeing dolphin and whale friends in their natural habitat, shopping at Shoreline Village, and much more; there is something for everyone in Long Beach!
Click here to watch and learn from an expert at Visit Long Beach about all the fun offers your badge will get you!
Registration
Your first stop when you arrive at USITT26 is to pick up your badge at registration. Please note: Registration is cashless. You must register for USITT26 online, as on-site registrations will not be available. Our registration area is for badge pick-up only!
Registration Hours
Wednesday, March 18: 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 19: 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Friday, March 20: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 21: 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Reminder: You will need your badge to access ALL parts of our Conference & Stage Expo! If you have registered for a Professional Development Workshop (PDW), you MUST go to registration first and get your badge before you head to your PDW.
Sponsored by:
Wi-Fi
Free Wi-Fi is available at the convention center for anyone registered for USITT26.
SSID: USITTAttendee
PW: PowLive26!
Sponsored by:
Download USITT26 App
The USITT26 Conference App is your hub for building your schedule, accessing maps, rating your sessions, and more!
Download Instructions for Returning App Users:
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Open the app and click START (Apple devices) or ">" (Android devices) in the lower right corner.
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Click the hamburger menu on the bottom right of the menu bar, then click on the events navigation and select and download USITT 2026 Annual Conference & Stage Expo.
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Once loaded, click the middle icon on the bottom menu bar.
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Sign in using the login credentials you received in your USITT26 Registration Confirmation Email.
Download Instructions for New Users:
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Visit the App Store on your device and search "USITT.”
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Download and open the app.
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For Apple devices, click on "Load." For Android devices, click on the right arrow to load the current event.
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Log in using the credentials you received in your USITT26 Registration Confirmation Email.
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Once you've logged in, click "Start" on the bottom right corner (Apple) or ">" (Android).
Once the app is downloaded, you can build your schedule, bookmark sessions, bookmark exhibitors you wish to visit at our Stage Expo, view our Expo floor map, and find attendees and speakers. You'll also be able to use the app to complete evaluations for sessions you attend during Conference.
Remember to rate all of your sessions! Your feedback is essential as we work to make our Annual Conference & Stage Expo bigger and better every year!
TIP: Have the "Express Badge Access” QR code open to quickly scan and print your badge when you arrive at Registration.
PLEASE NOTE: You will need your USITT26 badge number to log in. Your badge number can be found in your badge approval email or under the barcode in your confirmation email.
Click here to download on iPhone
Click here to download on Android
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USITT Store Hours
Wednesday, March 18: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 19: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Friday, March 20: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturday: March, 21: 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Leave Long Beach with a suitcase (or trunk) full of USITT merch, a Member-author book, and hey, why not throw in a sticker or two? Stop by the USITT Store to stock up on USITT hoodies, sweats, t-shirts, stickers, hats, pins, and of course, books! Please note: the Store is cashless.
This year, the store is on the 2nd floor of the Promenade Side!
All Attendee Events
Join us for these select events, and surround yourself with your fellow live entertainment artists and technicians. For more info on all of our All Attendee Events, visit our All Attendee Events page here!
First Timers Event
Location: Terrace Theater
Are you new to USITT? Are you a long-time Member but a Conference newbie? No problem! Our First Timers Event will help prepare you for the next four days with tips and tricks, insider info, and how to make the most of your time at USITT26.
Sponsored by:
Opening Night Reception at the Terrace Theater
Wednesday, March 18 • Reception: 5:00–6:30 PM, Celebration: 6:30–7:30 PM
Location: Terrace Theater, Long Beach
Kick off the 66th Annual USITT Conference & Stage Expo in style at the Terrace Theater in Long Beach, emceed by drag performer Morgan McMichaels, with a special performance by Dolly Levi. Join colleagues and new friends for an evening of connection, conversation, and celebration. Enjoy delicious bites, a cash bar, and great company as we toast the start of USITT26 and the inspiring days ahead!
Be the first to experience the unveiling of new top-of-the-line tech productions from the following companies: The Costume Source, TMB, CYA Cables, Chauvet Lighting, ADJ, and Master FX. While we can’t give away too much, we can easily say swag will be involved.
Close out the Opening Night festivities with a performance by the Grammy award-winning group, the Mariachi Divas, featuring 13 of their musicians.
It will mark the start of what is sure to be an incredible time at USITT26! We hope to see you there.
Already registered for USITT26? Click here to visit the Attendee Service Center and RSVP.
Click here to learn more about Morgan McMichaels
USITT26 Stage Expo Opening
Location: Main Convention Center Lobby
Join us and hundreds of other attendees for our Stage Expo opening celebration! Outside the Expo hall, just moments before you experience USITT26’s Stage Expo, we’ll be jamming out, celebrating, and getting energized before the doors open to a world of new products, innovative tech, demonstrations, and more networking and recruitment opportunities than you ever thought possible!
Sponsored by:
Party on the Patio at USITT26
Thursday, March 19 • 6:00–8:00 PM
Location: Pacific Gallery & Patio
Join us in the Pacific Gallery and Patio at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center for a relaxed Southern California–style evening. Enjoy SoCal inspired food, a cash bar, music, entertainment, and games in an open air environment designed for networking and fun. Eat, drink, connect, and unwind with colleagues in true California style.
Sponsored by:
Awards, Awards, Awards
Location: Terrace Theater
Celebrate your fellow industry designers, creators, managers, luminaries, and more at our awards presentation. Learn about this year's recipients here.
Member-Author Book Signing
Location: USITT Store, Second Floor Lobby
Get your favorite industry book signed, grab a refreshment, and chat with our member-authors at our well-loved member-author book signing event! Each year, a collection of our member authors sell their own literary works of art at our USITT Store both online and at Conference. We encourage you to order your books online before Conference or purchase at our USITT Store and have your book signed during this one-on-one industry author experience! Check out the list of books here.
USITT Night at the Aquarium of the Pacific
Friday, March 20 • 7:00–9:00 PM
Location: Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach
Dive into an unforgettable evening at one of Long Beach’s most stunning attractions. Join fellow attendees and exhibitors for a private USITT event featuring food stations, a cash bar, and full access to the aquarium’s indoor and outdoor exhibits. Mingle with friends among the sea life and enjoy a truly immersive experience as you explore, connect, and celebrate together.
Already registered for USITT26? Click here to visit the Attendee Service Center and RSVP.
Sponsored by:
The Queen Mary Experience
Saturday, March 21 • 6:00–9:00 PM
Location: The Queen Mary, Long Beach
Ticket Price: $75 (limited to the first 500 guests)
For the first time ever, USITT invites you aboard the legendary Queen Mary for an exclusive evening experience. Enjoy food stations, a cash bar, live music, a silent disco, and both self-guided and guided tours of this historic ocean liner. Dressing the part is optional, but prizes will be awarded for the best costumes.
Your ticket price includes round trip transportation, food stations, a silent disco, guided tours, and music. As day turns to night, take in the spectacular sunset views over Long Beach Harbor from the decks of this iconic ship. Secure your ticket now before they’re gone.
Already registered for USITT26? Click here to visit the Attendee Service Center and RSVP.
Sponsored by:
T3 Tech Challenge
Qualiyfing Rounds: Thursday, March 19, 12:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m., Friday, March 20, 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.-3 p.m.
Final Round: Friday, March 20 • 6:00–7:30PM
Location: Terrace Theater
Calling all student technicians, costumers, stage managers, and more! Disney Live Entertainment presents T3, a USITT Tech Challenge. Six events will give four-person teams the opportunity to demonstrate a range of backstage skills. Each team will be invited to compete for qualifying scores early in the week, with top teams competing on stage in an action-packed final round on Friday at our Annual Conference & Stage Expo! Students and teams can register in advance or on-site in Long Beach. Click here for more info.
Share Your Attendance
Do you want to share with your social media followers that you'll be attending USITT26? We’ve got the perfect graphics for you to share your attendance on your favorite platforms! And don't forget to check out USITT's social media for photos, videos, updates, and more exciting content during Conference!
USITT Facebook | USITT Instagram | USITT TikTok
Thank You Sponsors!
USITT26 wouldn't be possible without our generous sponsors. To see our full list of USITT26 sponsors, click here.
Transportation Around Long Beach
Whether you prefer transportation that is on demand, on a fixed route, or on your own schedule, getting to and around Long Beach is easy and accessible.
To learn more about USITT's Housing and transportation options, visit our page here!
Navigating the Expo Floor
Stage Expo Hours
Thursday, March 19: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. (Stage Expo only hours: 11-12:30 p.m. | Happy Hour: 4:30-6 p.m.)
Friday, March 20: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. (Stage Expo only hours: 11-12:30 p.m. | Happy Hour: 4:30-6 p.m.)
Saturday, March 21: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Stage Expo only hours: 10-11:30 a.m.)
Stage Expo Exhibitor List
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Labs
This year's hands-on labs are located in Exhibit Hall C. Sign up for hands-on labs in the attendee's service center or during registration. Seats are limited, but each lab has additional gallery seating so viewers can learn from the instructors, even if they don't have a seat at the table. Lab hours are as follows:
These are the general operating hours. Some hands-on labs have breaks between programming, so be sure to check the Conference Schedule for the specific lab you are interested in!
Need to Decompress?
Wednesday, March 18: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 19: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Friday, March 20: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 21: 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
A sensory relief room is available to all attendees in the Seaside Boardroom. Please use this room as a quiet and comfortable space to decompress during Conference hours.
Open Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
The Vault
The Vault Hours:
Wednesday, March 18: 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 19: 12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Friday, March 20: 12:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 21: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
The Vault is a safe space initiative providing Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender non-conforming USITT Members a more comfortable and accessible way to find clothing that fits their professional and stylistic needs.
You'll find us in the Chorus Dressing Rooms.
Special Exhibits
The Betty Blyholder National Poster Gallery
The Betty Blyholder National Poster Gallery allows presenters to share their research and expand scholarly activity. These sessions are a great way to experience new solutions to old problems, innovations, research results, discoveries, developments, and more. This year's topics include Building Basics (rethinking core concepts or practices), Material Movement (looking at materials and mediums in a unique or novel way), and Processed Processes (new or improved processes or protocols).
This exhibit runs and is open the length of the Conference. However, stop by March 19, 20, and 21 from 9:30-10:30 AM to see presentations done.
Emerging Creatives Showcase
The Emerging Creatives Showcase is an annual open adjudicated exhibition of undergraduate and graduate students in their final year, and early career designers and craftspersons. This year's cohort of talented artists will be available to meet and receive feedback on their work. The session takes place from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. in the Pacific Gallery near the entrance to Expo Hall C.
Educators and Production Managers are invited to attend.
The Soles of the Nation
Location: Promenade Ballroom Pre-function Lobby
We invite you to select 1–3 pairs of shoes from your Costume Shop’s collection to exhibit with us at USITT26! Please bring shoes with a unique identity — whether they are distinctive in how they were acquired, how they have been used, how they are constructed, or simply because they are a favorite or tell a story you would like to share.
Interested in contributing? Please complete this form. To participate, you will need to make room in your luggage or arrange an alternate way to bring the shoes to USITT26.
If your submission is accepted, we will follow up with additional details about when and where to bring the shoes for display.
Design Expo
Location: Hall C
Design Expo is back for USITT26 in Long Beach! The Design Expo is a juried exhibit of scenery, costume, and lighting in the performing arts displayed at Conference. The showcase will include costume, scenery, and lighting designs by students, educators, and working professionals who are Members of USITT. Design Expo can be added during your registration process. Already registered? You may access your registration and make edits at any time.
Tailoring Drag Masculinity: Re-Cutting Billy Flynn in Pompeii
Location: Promenade Ballroom Pre-function Lobby
This special exhibit presents a tailored Billy Flynn suit designed and constructed for a trans male drag king performer in Pompeii, a drag theatre production by Detour Productions directed by Eric García and Chuck Wilt. The garment reimagines one of musical theatre’s most iconic masculine silhouettes through queer tailoring practices, fusing precision handcraft with performative subversion. Constructed in burgundy twill burnout striped silk georgette, flatlined with vibrant orange cotton, the piece evokes volcanic eruption through light and transparency- reflecting Pompeii’s narrative of collapse, exposure, and rebirth. The garment’s visual and material layering transforms the canonical “power suit” into a symbol of gender affirmation and theatrical reinvention.
USITT Fabric Fair
Location: Hall C
Coordinated by The Costume Source, the first Fabric Fair at USITT brings together offerings from fabric vendors all over the country. Looking to expand your shop’s fabric resources, or to pick up some swatches for the upcoming season? Join us in between the Costume and Hair & Makeup Labs! And just for students and teachers, the Swatch Spot offers unused swatches from designers and shops, free for
the taking, and perfect for expanding a department swatch library or preparing for upcoming paper projects!
THEM
Location: Hall C
This exhibit showcases the design process for THEM, an interactive art installation inside Omega Mart (the Meow Wolf Las Vegas location). The exhibit features a visual timeline of THEM’s development from early concept and models to final execution, culminating in a VR walkthrough of the completed environment. It will also include a scaled version of an interactive element from the space available for attendees to experience in person. THEM combines traditional theatrical scenic and lighting techniques with innovative approaches to how we use technology to create a space with a self-sustaining narrative.
Infinity Cube
Location: Dark Zone - Hall A
The concept was to create an immersive experience using light, sound, and reflection to represent various biomes around the world. The project was imagined for the Burning Man festival, which is held in the extremely harsh environment of Black Rock Desert.
Looking For a Job?
SmartMatch
If you are seeking employment or college admission, you will have the opportunity to be matched with exhibitors who are on the lookout for their newest employees or colleges and universities looking for their next star student. SmartMatch allows you to make appointments with our exhibitors for a one-on-one interview right at USITT26! More information coming soon!
Sponsored by:
JobsUSITT Career Campus
Upload your resume using our QR code and start your job search! Find job postings, connect with exhibitors, set up interviews, and more! More information coming soon!
PRIMP
PRIMP is your one-stop shop for Portfolio Reviews & Interview Materials Prep! During PRIMP, participants get the chance to receive feedback on what they would share at a job interview, as well as the opportunity to network with two others in their field doing the reviewing. Stop by to perfect your interview style and chat with other working professionals about landing the perfect gig.
Resume Doctor
Seeking tips on how to make your resume shine? Want to hear from experts what companies are looking for? Stop by the Resume Doctor booth on our Expo floor to get tips from experts on how to make your resume stand out!
Free Headshots!
Need to update your professional headshot? Stop by the exclusive headshot booth on our Expo floor to get your free professional headshot!
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Accessibility
If you have accessibility needs for USITT26 of any kind, please fill out this form.
While we cannot guarantee that all requested accommodations will be available, collecting this information will help us better understand and address the needs of our attendees at the 2026 conference and beyond. Please await additional communication, as submitting this form may lead a USITT representative to contact you for further details.
At the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, they are committed to creating an inclusive, welcoming, and accessible environment for all guests.
Accessibility is at the heart of the guest experience, both onsite and online. Whether you're attending a live performance, convention, or community event, they strive to provide clear and convenient access to our venues, services, and amenities.
They are continuously working to enhance their physical and digital infrastructure to meet the needs of guests with disabilities and special needs. Their goal is to ensure every visitor can fully engage, explore, and enjoy their time there.
