The 2025 GPA Fall Conference is Wednesday, October 8 – Friday, October 10, at the Classic Center in Athens, GA.
Fall Conference
Make plans for the 2025 GPA Fall Conference on Wednesday, October 8 – Friday, October 10, as we come together for three days of professional learning and networking at the Classic Center in Athens, GA.
Registration is now open. Don’t miss three days of session and seven mobile sessions. Full three-day or one-day registration options are available.
Download or View Schedule Here
Contact GPA’s VP of Programs with questions.
Registration is Open
Register early to get the best rate. Don’t miss registering from a selection of seven mobile sessions.
Registration Fees
| until 9/19 | 9/20 - 10/1 | 10/2 - Onsite | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPA Member Fee | $300 | $345 | $395 |
| GPA Non-Member Fee | $350 | $400 | $425 |
| GPA Planning Official Fee | $200 | $200 | $220 |
| GPA Retired/Unemployed/ Student Volunteer Fee | $200 | $200 | $220 |
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Daily Registration Fees
| Wednesday, 10/8 Only | Thursday, 10/9 Only | Friday, 10/10 Only |
|---|---|---|
| $150 | $200 | $150 |
| Access to all Wednesday sessions, breaks and the Welcome Reception and Keynote Address Dinner. | Access to all Thursday sessions, breaks and includes the Awards Luncheon. | Access to Friday sessions and breaks. |
Fall Conference Scholarships Available
If you are in need of financial assistance to attend the 2025 GPA Fall Conference, the Georgia Planning Memorial Foundation offers scholarships up to $500. Applications are due in early September. Apply Here.
Mobile Sessions
Register for one or multiple mobile sessions. Each session is an additional registration fee of $20. Register early to secure your spot as capacity is limited. Please wear comfortable walking shoes for any of the mobile sessions. Below are brief descriptions; you can learn more on the registration page.
Mobile Session 1: Creative Documentation: Site Sketching
Wednesday, October 8, 2025, 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm
Capacity: 15
Learn and practice hand sketching skills while exploring downtown Athens.
Transportation: Â Walking Tour
Activity Level: Intermediate
Mobile Session 2: Athens-Clarke County Solid Waste Facilities
Wednesday, October 8, 2025, 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Capacity: 25
Get a behind-the-scenes look at how Athens-Clarke County manages waste—from recycling at the RMPF, where materials are sorted and sold to mills, to the 400-acre landfill, where about 300 tons of waste are disposed daily if not diverted.
Transportation: Bus
Activity Level:Â Some walking
Mobile Session 3: Moving Together: Transit Partnerships & Regional Planning in Athens
Thursday, October 9, 2025, 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Capacity: 34
The mobile workshop will take attendees on a 15-minute facility tour and a 45-minute bus tour through Athens, GA, showcasing how ACC Transit collaborates with local and regional partners to expand service, enhance access, and build a more connected and responsive transportation network.
Transportation: Bus and walking
Activity Level: Walking
Mobile Session 4: Creative Documentation: Writing the Commons
Thursday, October 9, 2025, 10:30 am – 11:45 am
Capacity: 15
Explore creative writing as a method for listening to and documenting public space.
Transportation: Walking
Activity Level: Intermediate
Mobile Session 5: Wheelchair Accessibility
Thursday, October 9, 2025, 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm
Capacity: 20
This interactive mobile workshop will serve to draw attention to wheelchair accessibility. By utilizing wheelchairs, participants will conduct an audit of downtown Athens’ sidewalks along the route.
Transportation: Walking and wheelchairs
Activity Level:Â Beginner
Mobile Session 6: Creative Documentation: Photography as Urban Documentation & Placekeeping
Thursday, October 9, 2025, 3:30 pm – 4:45 pm
Capacity: 15
View public spaces in a different way through using your camera lens as a tool for preservation and design.
Transportation: Walking
Activity Level: Short Walk
Mobile Session 7: Old Is New: Historic Athens & Renovated Spaces
Friday, October 10, 2025, 9:00 am – 10:15 am
Capacity: 30
This is a walking tour focusing on some of the historic aspects of downtown Athens and some renovations that have helped continue the lives of some historic buildings. The tour will focus around the areas of Hot Corner, Athens a historically Black business hub and tweed Recording, the renovated portion of a historic block that is a brand new recording studio and school.
Transportation: Walking
Activity Level: Low Impact Walking
Hyatt Place
Athens Downtown
412 N Thomas St, Athens, GA 30601
(706) 425-1800
Group Rate:Â $199.00 (+ tax) per room per night
Parking:Â $14 per day
Cancellation: Cancel 48 hrs prior to arrival to avoid charge of one-night room and tax.
Cutoff Date:Â September 15, 2025 or until block is sold out, whichever comes first
Homewood Suites by Hilton Athens Downtown University Area
750 E Broad St, Athens, GA 30601
(706) 548-3500
Group Rate:Â $159.00 (+ tax) per room per night
Parking:Â $18 per day
Cancellation:Â Cancel 24 hrs prior to arrival to avoid charge of one-night room and tax.
Cutoff Date:Â September 15, 2025 or until block is sold out, whichever comes first
Become a Fall Conference Sponsor
A Special Thanks to our 2025 Sponsors!
Learn more about how you can become a Sponsor.
Click each logo to visit the sponsor’s website.
ULTIMATE PREMIER PLUS
ULTIMATE PARTNER PLUS
ANNUAL PREMIER
ULTIMATE SUPPORTER PLUS
 
CONFERENCE PLATINUM
CONFERENCE GOLD
