Lobby lawmakers and gain policy insights at the 2026 City Leaders Summit

The City Leaders Summit is open for registration through April 15

By Cal Cities Education Staff

Cal Cities' biggest advocacy event - the City Leaders Summit - returns to the state Capitol, April 22-24. The summit offers opportunities for city leaders from across the state to lobby lawmakers directly on Cal Cities' member-chosen advocacy priorities, gain top-notch leadership skills, and connect with peers during in-depth educational sessions. 

Advocacy and education opportunities for city leaders

The City Leaders Summit begins on April 22 with a full day of lobbying. Cal Cities' legislative team will kick off the summit with updates on the top bills impacting cities and tips for advocating with lawmakers. City leaders can also attend policy-based programming, a member rally, and a press event on cities' top priorities, as well as a Cal Cities Partners evening reception with legislators.

Thursday and Friday's educational sessions will cover need-to-know information on emerging issues and solutions for the top issues facing cities. Additional information is available in the program section of the City Leaders Summit webpage. To learn more about ways you can advocate for Cal Cities' priorities, contact your regional public affairs manager.

Celebrate cities!

Join Cal Cities in celebrating California Cities Week, April 19-25, at the summit. This annual week-long celebration recognizes the work cities do for all Californians. Before and during the summit, there will be opportunities to boost awareness about the value of cities, as well as honor the people - city officials like YOU - who work tirelessly to deliver essential services.

Registration and hotel information

Registration for all three days starts at $650 for city officials from any Cal Cities member city. Summit registration includes admission to all educational sessions, the Wednesday reception, Thursday breakfast and lunch, and Friday breakfast. The deadline to register is April 15, after which officials must register on-site if space is available.

The City Leaders Summit will be at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center, located in the heart of downtown Sacramento across from the Capitol. The SAFE Credit Union Convention Center is just 15 minutes away from Sacramento International Airport.

A limited number of hotel rooms are available at several nearby hotels at a reduced rate for conference attendees who register before March 31. Discounted hotel rooms often sell out early, so advance registration is encouraged. For more information, visit the City Leaders Summit webpage.

For questions about registration, please contact Event Registration Specialist Megan Dunn. For questions on legislative meetings, please contact your regional public affairs manager. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Event Sponsorship and Exposition Manager Amy Wade. For all other questions, please contact Event Program Manager Kayla Boutros.