2026 Convention Registration Information

• Hotel Room Block Opens: January 7, 2026
• Scholarship Application Available: January 20 - April 30, 2026
• Registration Opens: March 31, 2026
• Early Bird Registration Pricing Ends: April 30, 2026
• Scholarship Recipients Notified: May 15, 2026
• General Registration Pricing Ends: May 31, 2026
• Program Registration for individuals with WS and siblings under 18 closes: May 31, 2026
• Hotel Room Blocks Close: Between June 5 - 16, 2026 (depending on the hotel)
• Late Registration Closes: June 26, 2026

The following items are able to be added during the registration process. There is NO rush to register - there is no cap on attendance and the venues are big enough to include everyone! When you are completing registration, it is easiest to add your entire group's Optional Items when you are registering your Primary Attendee. The only exceptions are Wrightslaw training and extra program shirts, which should be added with the applicable attendee. 

Wrightslaw Special Education Law & Advocacy Pre-Convention Training

Tuesday, July 7  9:00 AM - 4:30 PM

• WSA Convention Attendees: $75 for one attendee, $35 for additional attendee

• Wrightslaw Training ONLY: $125 for one attendee, $75 for additional attendee. Non-convention attendees register here.

Renowned special education attorney, Peter Wright, Esq. will provide attendees with essential information about special education law, rights and responsibilities; tests & measurements to measure progress and regression; smart IEPs and an Introduction to tactics and strategies for effective advocacy.

Admission fee includes:

• 3 books valued at $65 (retail) Wrightslaw: Special Education Law, 2nd edition Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy Wrightslaw: All About IEPs
• Wrightslaw highlighter pen
• NOTE: if registering an additional adult, you will share single set of books & pen
• No childcare is available this day.

Canalside Kick-Off Party

Tuesday, July 7 6:00 - 9:00 PM - Rain or Shine

• $15 per person over the age of 2

Take the free light-rail for a short ride to Canalside and kick off convention week with an evening of fun! Enjoy the park, waterfront, live music, entertainment, a ride on the classic carousel, and a party that feels like a family reunion! A variety of food trucks will be on-site with food and drinks available for purchase. A cash bar will be available. 

A ticket will be required for everyone over the age of 2 who plans to attend. Additional tickets may be purchased for local relatives or friends who aren't attending the convention.

Niagara Falls Excursion

Thursday, July 9 12:30 PM - 7:00 PM

• Free bus transportation or you can drive your own car (self parking has a $10 fee)

Join us as we all take a trip to the American side of Niagara Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of North America! Register for taking the Bus Transportation from Convention Center to Niagara Falls (round-trip). Everyone over 24 months old must have a ticket. Children under 2 without a ticket must sit on a parent’s lap.

Registration is for bus transportation, and does NOT include food or attractions which require an entry fee. The Primary Attendee should secure enough tickets for their entire family - using the drop menu for your group total.

Buses will take everyone to the falls  after morning sessions, and will run "round robin" style all afternoon to return to the convention center. We'll take a group picture shortly after we arrive, then you're free to explore. The final bus will depart Niagara Falls State Park at 7:00 PM. There will be NO programs or sessions Thursday afternoon - so don't worry - you won't miss a thing!

NOTE: You do NOT need a passport for this excursion. We will remain in the US.

For more information on the Niagara Falls trip, visit the excursion webpage. 

BINGO!

Thursday, July 9  7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

• FREE!

After an afternoon at Niagara Falls, join us for a free, fun-filled night of BINGO in the upstairs ballroom, complete with chances to win exclusive WSA swag! We’ll supply the BINGO cards! Bring your own dauber or marker, or purchase your BINGO daubers for $2 each during registration. They’ll be waiting for you Thursday night when you check in for BINGO! No limit. You must register to reserve your seat.

Buffalo Bisons Block Party and Baseball Game

Friday, July 10

Private Block Party: 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM

Baseball Game: 6:30 PM - ?

• $25 per person. Children 2 and under are free, but will not have their own seat at the game.

This ticket includes:

Block Party: Private party with DJ, bounce house, characters, fun, and food. This includes hot dog, chips & a drink during the Block Party. You must select either hamburger or hot dog during registration. Cash Bar for adult beverages. Other food and beverages will be available for purchase inside the stadium.

Buffalo Bison's Game: Reserved seats with our group for the game. The theme for the night is Christmas in July! Fireworks that are close to the stadium will be shown after the game. If you do not like fireworks, please bring headphones or plan to leave during the 7th inning stretch.

The Buffalo Bison's stadium is a quick ride on the free metro, or a fairly short walk from the Convention Center. You can plan to head to the ballpark as soon as Friday afternoon sessions are complete.

Saturday Night Stampede (Dance!)

Saturday, July 11  7:00 PM - 10:00 PM

• $10 per person. Children under 2 are free.

Get ready to hoof it to the dance floor for the wildest night of the convention! The Saturday Night Stampede is where the herd comes together one last time to celebrate, groove, and go absolutely buffalo-nanas. Dress like the Certified Party Animal you are—whether that's fuzzy feline fingers, horns-out helmets, or puffy pachyderm proboscises—and get ready for un-bull-ievable music, udder-ly spectacular dancing, and buffa-loony good raffle prizes. Bring your otterly amazing party spirit, go hog wild in your fiercest party animal attire, and make some hoove-ments you'll never forget. Before you alpaca your bags, join us on the range for one last legen-dairy dance into the sunset!

Your ticket includes admission to the dance, light refreshments, and a great photo opportunity. A cash bar will also be available. Tickets are required for everyone over age 2. Additional tickets may be purchased for local relatives or friends who aren't attending the convention.

Extra t-shirts for program participants

• Starting at $12

Extra program shirts are only for registrants enrolled in WSA Programs, not parents or guests, as these shirts help us quickly identify participants during activities.  One shirt is included with registration and must be worn each day (except for the Infant Program). Sizes available are Toddler 2T–5T, Youth XS–XL and Adult XS–5XL. If you’d like extras, you may purchase additional shirts for program participants during registration. Souvenir t-shirts will for parents/caregivers will be available on shopwsa.org later this spring!

IMPORTANT: Please purchase additional program shirts on the Optional Item page when adding the program participants -  NOT on the Primary Registrant's Optional Items page. This will ensure the correct colored shirt is ordered.

Use the buttons below to learn more about convention.