Registration is now open for the 2026 New England Newspaper Convention & Trade Show, taking place March 13–14 at a new location, The Venue at Portwalk Place in Portsmouth, NH. The annual gathering brings together publishers, editors, and newsroom leaders from across New England for two days of practical programming, networking, and celebration of journalistic excellence.
Better Newspaper Competition Award notifications will begin going out this weekend, with winners formally recognized during the Better Newspaper Competition Awards Banquet on Saturday evening, March 14, the largest gathering of the convention.
Hotel Rooms Available — Time to Book Your Stay
Planning to attend the convention? Now is the time to book your hotel accommodations. The official NENPA room block is open at the Hampton Inn & Suites Portsmouth Downtown.
Discounted convention rates include:
- Two queen beds: $169 per night
- King room: $209 per night
(plus standard taxes and fees; hot breakfast included)
Rooms are limited, and attendees are encouraged to book early to secure their preferred room type.
Program Highlights
This year’s convention will feature a forward-looking, practical program focused on the ideas and skills newsrooms need to thrive in a changing media landscape.
Sessions will include:
- Immigration and ICE Reporting Now
- Collaboration & Newsroom Tools Panel
- Turning Data into Headlines using Google Gemini + Pinpoint
- Accelerating Research & Ensuring Trust with Google NotebookLM and SynthID
- Nonprofit newsroom sustainability
- Social Media Strategies for Newsrooms of Every Size
- 10 Ways to Use AI for Sales Prospecting
- The Power of the Obituary
- FOIA that Works
- How You Learn the Court Beat
- Strategies for Engaging Younger Audiences
- Column Writing in 2026
- News Without a Newsroom (film screening)
Additional sessions are still being finalized. Stay tuned for program updates and register today!