Western Planner Conference
Urban Vibe, Rural Charm
The 2026 Western Planner Conference will be held August 26–28 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Planners, practitioners, and community leaders from across the region will gather in Sioux Falls for a joint conference hosted by the South Dakota Planners Association, Western Planners Association, and Tribal & Indigenous Planning Division.
With the theme Urban Vibe, Rural Charm, this conference celebrates the places we plan—from thriving urban centers to small towns and Tribal communities—while tackling the real-world challenges shaping the future of the Western United States.
About Western Planner
Western Planner (WP) has been around since 1979, helping to connect, inform and empower planners across the broad expanses of the West. With its leadership (WP Resources Board of Directors) comprising representatives from the planning organizations for each of the 13 states in the West and the Tribal & Indigenous Planning Division, it focuses on supporting rural, county, Tribal and small town professional and citizen planners. WP recognizes that 75% of Western counties are rural, and Tribal nations are foundational to the fabric of the West. Members of WP have been involved in the Tribal & Indigenous Interest Group of APA since its beginning and several of our WP Board of Directors were instrumental in helping to relaunch the Tribal & Indigenous Planning Division of APA.
In 2023 WP established the Tribal & Emerging Planner Conference Scholarship which was set up to support and encourage students entering the field of planning to gain a better understanding and appreciation of Tribal, small town, rural, county and regional-planning issues. The scholarship provides a free registration for the annual Western Planner conference, and up to $250 for attendance costs.