Living up to its name, CNU34 will take place in multiple locations across the two largest cities in the NWA region: Bentonville and Fayetteville. You can learn more about the vibe of each place by reading the Public Square articles linked. Below is an updated At A Glance schedule and details about how this program will work.
Here's what you need to know:
As a truly multi-city Congress, CNU 34 is giving our out-of-town attendees the opportunity to build an experience based on the type of place they want to stay - while still providing the transportation needed to get to sessions and events (and parties!) across the region.
Tuesday: Specialty Content
- Local Government Day (Fayetteville)
- Builders & Developers Day (Fayetteville)
- CNU Accreditation Prep Course (Fayetteville)
- Tours and CNU 34 Opening Party in historic Downtown Rogers
These specialty programs are day-long learning opportunities, ticketed separately from Congress registration, and include lunch. Each are followed by a special happy hour for the group to network.
Wednesday: Fayetteville Day
- Opening Market on the Square
- Sessions and Tours
- Opening Keynote
- Affiliate Happy Hours
- Live Music at George's Majestic Lounge
On Wednesday, all content will be focused in Fayetteville, including tour departure and the opening keynote.
Thursday: Dual Spokes
This is the day that truly makes CNU 34 "Choose your own Adventure". Each city will have tours, sessions, and a Main Stage conversation. Attendees will select what city they want to spend the day in, based on the content, and transportation will be provided in the morning and evening.
- Sessions, Main Stages, and Workshops in each city
- Charter Awards and other social gatherings
Friday: Bentonville Day
- Closing Keynote
- Sessions and Tours
- Closing Party at the Momentary
Saturday: Tours and CNU’s Open to the Public Content
Selecting a ‘Home Base’
CNU has negotiated discounted hotel blocks at four main hotels - two in Bentonville and two in Fayetteville - giving attendees a choice on where to stay, to curate their preferred Congress experience. We encourage you to read more about the vibe of each city in the articles linked above, but an overview to help you select your home base can be found here.
CNU 34 Session Review Process and Timeline
All submitted proposals will be reviewed by this year’s Congress Program Committee, an ad hoc Board committee of subject matter experts responsible for providing oversight of the development of session types and program format, reviewing the call for proposals, reviewing and ranking all sessions, and curating and placing the sessions in the schedule. Congress Program Committee members will complete the initial review of submissions in mid-December. You may be asked to make changes to your proposal, provide more information on your proposal, refine proposed learning objectives, or combine your proposal with another submitted proposal.
Key deadlines:
October 6, 2025: Request for proposals released to CNU Members
October 13, 2025: Request for proposals released to the public
November 11, 2025: Request for proposals closed
January 26-31, 2026: All submitters notified of proposal status
- March 1, 2026: Deadline for selected presenters and speakers to register for Congress as confirmation of program delivery
Session Type Overview
Educational Session: Formerly known as “classes” or “core courses”, Educational Sessions provide the backbone of Congress learning opportunities. They are designed to teach foundational concepts to attendees and can be introductory, intermediate, or master-class level examinations of core New Urbanist principles and practice. Educational Sessions provide an opportunity for presenters to share knowledge with attendees, and require that attendees receive a document with key points and resources in addition to the powerpoint presentation after attending.
- Goal: Knowledge-sharing
- Requirements: Educational Sessions require the development of an outline prior to the Congress, optional materials for attendees, and a summary document (with resources) to be distributed post-Congress.
Meeting: Meetings are an opportunity for attendees to gather and advance New Urbanist discourse on a certain topic. The main activity in a meeting is collaborative discussion, with the outcome being an advanced or more nuanced understanding of the topic. Examples include coalition building for an advocacy platform, a discussion on the agenda of a caucus or affiliate, or a focused discussion on a specific area of New Urbanist practice.
- Goal: Discussion
- Requirements: Meeting Facilitators need to provide an objective for the meeting and additional hosts, if applicable.
Project Showcase: Submit a single (or themed group of) projects that aim to set an example for attendees. Project Showcase sessions can include critiques, practical analysis, lessons-learned, demonstrations of success or failures, the disconnect between the plans and reality of a project, or project outcomes.
- Goal: Example-setting
- Requirements: Project Showcase sessions must demonstrate what attendees will learn from the project(s)
Implementation Session: To help expand the body of built examples and adopted policies that make up the practice of New Urbanism, Implementation Sessions are designed to provide attendees with a demonstration of the effective implementation of a policy, strategy, or design technique used in achieving our shared vision.
- Goal: Demonstration
- Requirements: Impelementation Sessions must name the policy or technique that attendees will learn about.
Additional session types that will be seen at CNU 34 include:
- Main Stage and Keynote Presentations
- Workshops