Northern Nut Growers Association & Chestnut Growers of America Joint Conference 2026

117th Annual Northern Nut Growers Association Conference

Jointly hosted with the Chestnut Growers of America
July 31–August 3, 2026 | University of Massachusetts–Amherst

Quick links:

• Details on the conference speakers and agenda: 2026 AGENDA
  
• Conference registration: BUY TICKETS
• UMass campus dorm information & reservations: HOUSING
• Conference Store: STORE
• Scroll to the bottom of the page for parking information

Mark your calendars and plan to attend the 117th Annual NNGA Conference, held jointly with the Chestnut Growers of America on the University of Massachusetts–Amherst campus. The planning committee has developed an exciting and informative program that will appeal to researchers, commercial growers, hobbyists, and nut enthusiasts alike.

Conference Schedule & Highlights

Friday, July 31

• Afternoon registration at UMass with field tours available at Yellowbud Farm from 3-5 pm, followed by a welcome reception at the Sunderland Pavilion (registration at Sunderland Pavilion also available)
• Dinner followed by the traditional Show and Tell session

Saturday & Sunday, August 1-2

• Full-day concurrent technical sessions with late-afternoon panel discussions
• Posters and exhibits on display from Friday evening through Sunday afternoon
• Saturday evening: Auction benefiting research programs of both organizations
• Sunday evening: Banquet, preceded by group photo and social hour (cash bar)

Monday, August 3

• Morning field tour with lunch and an afternoon option to visit either Breadtree Farms (Upper Hudson Valley) or the Lockwood Farm/Sleeping Giant chestnut plantation managed by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.
• Due to travel distances, expect a late-afternoon return to campus when planning lodging and flights

Attendee & Exhibitor Registration 

1. Select your ticket(s).
2. Apply any discount codes. The discount is applied AFTER ticket selection and must entered be ALL CAPS             
3. If you are a Speaker or have received a Scholarship, please contact nngaconference@gmail.com for your discount code.
4. Exhibitor tables are available and can be reserved for $100.
5. If you are not yet a member, consider buying a one-year membership at $40.  Combined with the member discount it is a steal at $20!

Sponsorships, Volunteers & Contact Information

The NNGA and the CGA are volunteer organizations with the mission of supporting growers through our conferences, our newsletters, the exchange of ideas and information and research grants which add to our knowledge. We wish to keep our dues and our registration fees as low as possible to be open to as many as possible and to support student and beginning orchardist scholarships. Consider, if you are able, to donate at any level. We are seeking conference sponsors and volunteers. Additional sponsorship information is available below. Volunteers will assist with registration and other tasks during the conference. Questions can be emailed to nngaconference@gmail.com.

Additional details are available here. 

Scholarships are closed!

Are you a beginning, struggling orchardist, a student studying agriculture? We have closed applications for 2026 but keep us in mind for next summer. In the meantime, we urge you to become a member of the NNGA. For $40 a year you have access to a wealth of data. The quarterly Nutshell, the archived Nutshells and ongoing conversations with experts and hobbyists at our Facebook page. Visit NNGA.

Location & Lodging  HOUSING

Most conference activities will take place in the UMass–Amherst Campus Center, including technical sessions, posters and exhibits, the auction, and the banquet. Meals, on your own, are available at the award-winning campus dining facility.

A room block is reserved in campus residence halls ($75 per person/night including taxes and fees) for Thursday through Monday nights. Important points to note when you make your reservation:

• You will need to set up a login and password on the UMass Conference reservation site to make an online reservation. Instructions are provided at the link ABOVE. This link is ONLY for dorm rooms!
• Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights are reserved as a block. You will be charged for all 3 nights. Thursday and Monday nights can be added.
• The conference reserved rooms are being held up to July 15 and hotel rooms are limited in Amherst for that time period, so don't wait too long!
• HOWEVER, watch the cancellation policy! If you cancel before July 15, you are still charged for one night ($75) plus the 3% processing fee. After July 15, there is no refund.
• Click on the "On-Campus Lodging" tab at the link to find a full description of the room options and how to organize with suite and roommates.

PARKING AT UMASS AMHERST

Apart from the times when parking lots are free to visitors (see below), there is no free parking on campus. Guests who aren’t staying on campus and those who are staying at Hotel UMass should park in the Campus Center Parking Garage. The address for the entrance to the garage is 91 Campus Center Way, Amherst, MA, 01003. The garage is connected to the Campus Center via an underground walkway on the 2^nd level of the garage.

The UMass Campus Center Parking Garage is gateless. You need to pre-pay for the time you plan to stay in the garage (or register your vehicle with the hotel if applicable) within 20 minutes of entry. You must know your license plate number when you pay/register. There are cameras around the garage that capture license plate information. Any vehicle that has been in the garage for longer than 20 minutes without paying/registering is subject to a citation. There are many signs in the garage encouraging guests to use the ParkMobile app, but none of the discounts available to conference guests outlined below can be used in the app. I am happy to provide you with instructions that you can send out ahead of time as well as handouts that can be given to guests onsite.

HOTEL GUESTS: PARKING GARAGE

Hotel guests should park in the garage and go straight to the hotel front desk (Campus Center 3^rd floor) as soon as they first arrive on their day of check-in. While they likely won’t be able to check into their room until 3 pm, the clerk can register their vehicle with the Parking database. They will need to know their license plate number. Once the information is entered by the hotel clerk, their car can stay in the garage through their day of check-out. They can leave and re-enter without doing anything further.

DISCOUNTED COMMUTER PARKING: PARKING GARAGE

You will need to send the code to attendees in advance and/or have it available at registration as it cannot be posted in the garage.

I have received the 26NN coupon code specifically for your event. The code will give attendees 50% off their stay in the garage. The coupon code can only be used in person at a kiosk. Coupon codes are not valid on ParkMobile. If you use the coupon code, you must pay using a credit card. If you would like a receipt, you must select ‘Yes’ when prompted by the kiosk at the time of the transaction. Parking Services is unable to generate receipts after the fact.

The kiosk will ask if you’d like to enter your cell phone number to get alerts when your time is running out. If you choose to enter your number, you’ll also be able to extend your time on your phone without going back to a kiosk in the garage.

You will need to go to a kiosk to pre-pay each time you enter the garage.

NORTH APARTMENTS GUESTS: LOT 44

North Apartment guests should park in Lot 44, located behind the apartment buildings. You must pay to park in Lot 44 Monday-Friday, 7 am – 7 pm. The method of payment is via the ParkMobile app. Lot 44 is zone #3356 in ParkMobile. The rate is $6.00 per day. You should register via ParkMobile before you check into the dorm or you could receive a ticket. Once you have registered you may leave the parking lot and return for the duration of the purchased time without doing anything further. Additional time can be purchased after time expires or extended before time expires.

COMMONWEALTH HONORS COLLEGE GUESTS: LOT 25

Commonwealth Honors College guests should park in Lot 25, located on Commonwealth Avenue down the street from the dorm. You must pay to park in Lot 25 Monday-Friday, 7 am – 7 pm. The method of payment is via the ParkMobile app. Lot 25 is zones #3327 and #3363 in ParkMobile. The rate is $6.00 per day. You should register via ParkMobile before you check into the dorm or you could receive a ticket. Once you have registered you may leave the parking lot and return for the duration of the purchased time without doing anything further. Additional time can be purchased after time expires or extended before time expires.

OFF HOURS PARKING LOT USE FOR NON-DORM GUESTS

There is no parking without a permit in lots on campus Monday-Friday, 7 am – 5 pm. On weekdays from 5 pm to 7 pm and on the weekend, you may park in any non-24-hour restricted lot without a permit for free. You may also park at any metered space from 7 pm – 7 am at no charge.

Accessibility: Activities may require attendees to stand for 20 minutes or more, walk short or moderate distances, and sit in classroom chairs for periods of up to 60 minutes or more. We recognize not all attendees are comfortable or able to complete these tasks without assistance. If you will need assistance with any of these activities, please let us know in advance.

Making changes to purchased tickets: Your email confirmation should have included with a "manage ticket" feature which can also be accessed from the top of this page. Questions can be sent to nngaconference@gmail.com.