National Conference

Save the Dates!

49^th National Conference & Theatre Tour

Sun., July 20 - Wed., July 23, 2025

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Theatre Ramble: Sunday, July 20 • EXPO: Monday, July 21

More details will be posted here as soon as they become available.
Registration for the conference and Expo will not open until late April.

Updated 03.26.2025

Why Should You Attend?

In addition to Tools & Techniques sessions  that will highlight best practices in historic theatre operations, programming, fundraising, marketing and more, meet, mingle and take advantage of the expertise of hundreds of your peers in the field during multiple networking and social events. We'll offer several historic theatre tours in downtown Pittsburgh, and our optional pre-conference Theatre Ramble will offer an all-day tour of several historic theatres outside of downtown. Last but certainly not least, at our annual Expo, you'll have the chance to connect with many knowledgeable service providers and suppliers who have expertise in providing the goods and services that historic theatres need most.

The LHAT National Conference in Pittsburgh will be the largest and most important gathering specifically designed for historic theatre professionals in the nation and we want to be sure you will be there with us!

About the National Conference & Theatre Tour

The League's annual conference is the largest annual gathering of historic theatre professionals, community leaders, and service providers and suppliers, attracting participants from across the U.S. and Canada for idea sharing and network building. Professionals, volunteers and devotees join together for four days of networking and peer information exchange, tools & techniques sessions, and tours of local historic theatres, plus events, banquets and receptions.

By defining our field, creating a shared vocabulary and identifying best practices, the educational components of the League's annual conference strengthen efforts to sustain historic theatres of various sizes, operating structures and programming philosophies. During theatre tours, docents emphasize how each venue has dealt with the specific challenges of sustaining their operations to serve their communities, now and in the future. The conference takes place in different locations across North America each year.

Thank you to everyone who made Milwaukee 2024 a Success!

With more than 300 attendees from across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, LHAT's 2024 National Conference was a great success! Represented were more than 200 historic theatre owners, operators, volunteers and aficionados, along with 100 service providers and suppliers who are experts in our field.

In the heart of downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the League offered four days of professional development, networking, theatre tours and more. More than 25 hours of Tools & Techniques Sessions highlighted best practices in historic theatre operations, film programming, fundraising, marketing, renovation, restoration, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB). An additional three hours were devoted to facilitated networking sessions which were broken into groups based on theatre types and sizes, plus different topics attendees said were top of mind at their theatres.

More than 80 people kicked off the conference on the ever-popular Pre-Conference Historic Theatre Ramble, visiting five theatres -- the Downer, Egyptian and Skylight Music Theatres in Milwaukee, The Bend Theater in West Bend and the Stefanie H. Weill Center for the Performing Arts in Sheboygan. During the conference, attendees were treated to tours of Bradley Symphony Center, the Riverside Theater and the Pabst Theater, where our 2024 Closing Party took place.

Attendees celebrated excellence in the field at the 2024 Awards Ceremony and 41 exhibitors shared their products, services and expertise at the annual Meet the Services Providers EXPO. Attendees also met, mingled and networked during multiple networking and social events.

Special thanks to all of our National Partners and 2024 Conference Sponsors, plus our theatre tour and other local hosts. Because of their generous support, the LHAT National Conference continues to be the largest and most important gathering specifically designed for historic theatre professionals in the nation!