by Janet Dickelman
Registration for the 2026 American Council of the Blind conference and convention is just around the corner! Read on to learn all about registration, plus ordering dog food, how to be certified for paratransit, renting a wheelchair or scooter, assistance at the airport, and some very important information to consider when taking a tour.
In-person/hybrid dates are July 24 through July 31, with Zoom-only sessions being held July 16 through 18.
Don’t miss the virtual-only ACB Summer Auction on July 11 (preceded by two days of appetizer auctions), and the official call to order via Zoom on July 13 with the reading of the convention standing rules and the first credentials report.
Registration Details
Registration will open for ACB members on Thursday, May 28, at 7 a.m. Central time. Registration cost will be $55.
On June 4, registration will open for non-ACB members. That cost will be $70.
Registration will close on Monday, July 6 at 11:59 p.m. Central time. You may also register during the convention; however, the cost will be higher, $75 for ACB members and $90 for non-members.
What can you do now to prepare for registration?
Make sure you can log into your member account at https://members.acb.org/. If you do not remember your login and password, you may select “password reset” or call the Minneapolis office at (612) 332-3242.
If you have not created a member account at https://members.acb.org/, select the link labeled “Create an Account” and provide the information requested. After creating an account, you can log in, but it may take up to 24 hours before you will be able to complete a convention registration, as the Minneapolis office needs to link your member account to our database. Now is also a good time to create your account!
When registration opens:
- If you are registering online, log into your member account. Once you have selected the “ACB Convention” link on the members main page, it will open on an introduction page; after reading this information proceed to preferences to begin your registration.
- Please verify that your contact information is correct. On this page you will also select whether you will be attending the convention virtually or in person. If you choose to be a virtual attendee, you will not be shown sessions that are only available to in-person attendees such as tours, social events, etc.
- If you choose to be an in-person attendee, you will be shown all virtual and in-person sessions.
- If you need assistance, telephone registration will be available by calling Janet Dickelman at (651) 428-5059 or the Minneapolis office at (612) 332-3242.
Braille or Large Print Program Requests
If you are attending virtually and wish to receive the convention program in either braille or large print, it will be sent to your home address. If you are a virtual attendee requesting a print or braille program, you must register prior to June 15 in order to receive the program in print or braille.
If you will be joining us in St. Louis, you will receive the program when you pick up your registration materials. All registrants will receive Zoom links for the Zoom-only events. If you are attending the convention in person, you can pick up your registration materials starting Thursday evening, July 23.
Planning to Take a Tour?
Please read the tour description very carefully. Many of our tours require a lot of walking and/or standing. If this is difficult for you to do, please consider not taking the tour. Your health and comfort are very important to us. If you can’t keep up with the group, there aren’t options to stop or rest.
If you require the use of a wheelchair to attend a tour, you must bring someone with you who will push your chair. That person must also register for the tour. Our volunteers are not able to assist as wheelchair pushers. If you use a wheelchair or walker, please make sure to indicate that on the registration form. Also, if you are more comfortable having your own guide, you might consider attending the tour with a friend or family member. We generally have one volunteer to assist 10 to 15 attendees, so cannot offer personal assistance.
Using Paratransit Service During the Convention
In order to receive visitors/temporary eligibility while in St. Louis, individuals need to be registered with their paratransit service in their home city. If they are registered to receive paratransit in their home city, they need to have that agency fax to (314) 335-3419 a copy of their eligibility (start date, end date, if they require a mobility device/service animal). Also, include the dates they will be in town and the address of the hotel where they will be staying. I suggest that they start a day before they actually need it and extend it a day or two after their planned departure date, in case there are any emergencies and they stay longer than expected.
- Once they know their information has been sent over, then they can call (314) 982-1510 and confirm that BiState has received everything and doesn’t need further information.
- I strongly urge you to have your documentation submitted a minimum of two weeks prior to coming, but you can do it as far out as they want. The sooner, the better.
- Once you have submitted and confirmed your eligibility with BiState, you can book trips out a maximum of three days and a minimum of one day prior to 5 p.m. Reservations phone number is (314) 982-1505; press option 3 to schedule rides, and option 2 to check on already scheduled rides.
Wheelchair Rentals
If you would like to rent a wheelchair or scooter, call Mobility City at (636) 329-6367. Weekly scooter rentals are $200; wheelchairs (any size) are $100. When renting a wheelchair, you will be asked for your weight and height to ensure you receive the correct sized chair. Once you have placed your order, call or email me so I can maintain a list to ensure all wheelchairs and scooters have been received.
Ordering Dog Food
Don’t want to weigh down your luggage with food for your dog? Keep it simple — order food from Scoop Masters!
Scoop Masters will provide and maintain our dog relief areas in St. Louis. Locations of the dog relief areas will be shared via email lists and posted in the convention newspaper as soon as they are set up.
If you would like to pre-order dog food to be delivered to your hotel room, call Tim Stone at (661) 714-0749, or order online at http://scoopmasters.com/acb. Tim says, “It's a simple form that asks for your name, phone number, brand and type of food. I will call to get the details within 24 hours, and I will accept payments at the hotel.”
Food must be ordered by July 18 to ensure delivery.
Assistance at the Airport
To assist airline personnel and Margarine Beaman and her cadre of airport volunteers, if you would like assistance when you arrive at the airport, please submit the following information. If you have a connecting flight, Margarine will need the information for all flights.
- Your name
- The name of the airline you will be arriving on
- The city you will be traveling from
- Your arrival flight number
- Your cell phone number
- Departure date
- Departure time
- Departure airline
You can send Margarine Beaman an e-mail with "airline information" in the subject line at
oleo501625@outlook.com or call her at (512) 921-1625.
Upcoming Braille Forum Articles
In the May and June ACB Braille Forum, read all about what special-interest affiliates, ACB committees, and business partners have planned for the convention.
Hotel Details
Room rates at the Hyatt Regency Arch, 315 Chestnut St., are $104 single or double, $129 triple, or $154 quad, plus state and local taxes (currently 17.92%).
To make reservations online, go to https://www.hyatt.com/events/en-US/group-booking/STLRS/G-ACBL.
If you prefer to make your reservations by telephone, call central reservations at (888) 591-1234. Make sure to let them know you are reserving a room at the Hyatt St. Louis Arch at 315 Chestnut St., and use group code G-ACBL.
The cut-off date for reservations is July 5, 2026. Don’t delay — make your reservations today!
Room Amenities
All sleeping rooms have safes, ironing boards, refrigerators and K-cup coffee makers.
The hotel has a 24-hour fitness center. It does not have a pool. There are no guest washers and dryers, but there is a dry-cleaning service.
The hotel is cashless; any purchases must be made with a credit or debit card.
Staying in Touch
The conference and convention announce list will be filled with information. To subscribe to the list, send a blank e-mail to Acbconvention+subscribe@acblists.org.
If you received updates for the 2025 convention, you do not need to re-subscribe to the list.
For any convention-related questions, contact Janet Dickelman, convention chair, at (651) 428-5059, or via email, janet.dickelman@gmail.com.