ICLE’s 2026 National Conference Vendor Page

Please note that your conference registration does not include overnight lodging. We have reserved a convenient block of rooms for Tuesday, July 14 through Friday, July 17, at the Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel, our conference hotel.

Unfortunately, due to a citywide event, rooms are limited at the conference hotel on the night of Monday, July 13. We hope, if you aren’t able to get a room at our conference hotel on Monday, July 13, that you will stay offsite and then move to the conference hotel for the nights of July 14, 15, and 16. If you run into trouble finding an offsite hotel for Monday, July 13, please contact ICLE’s Events team.

Here are a few suggestions for finding a room for Monday, July 13:

• Reserve a room at the conference hotel outside of our conference room block (just reserve directly with the hotel, instead of using our conference reservation link) for Monday night, and then reserve the rest of the nights within the block. Perhaps as the conference gets closer, the hotel might allow you to merge your reservations, and give you the first night at the conference rate, if you ask.
• Reserve a room at a hotel near the airport (or anywhere else in Columbus you can get a good rate) for the first night, and then move and check into the conference hotel Tuesday morning to stay Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights.
• We do have a block of rooms reserved at the Plaza Columbus Capitol Square for $159 / night. Reservations can be made by calling 614-365-4500 and requesting to make a reservation under the ICLE National Conference 2026. I suggest staying there just for the first night, and then moving to our conference hotel for the remainder of the nights.

For the nights of Tuesday, July 14; Wednesday, July 15; and Thursday, July 16; please use this link by Monday, June 22, 2026, to reserve your hotel room. The special conference rate is $179 / night (plus tax) for a standard king or double queen room. Up to 4 people may stay in the room at no additional cost. The hotel offers a pool, a fitness center, Starbucks location, an on-site restaurant, and more; view the hotel’s amenities here.

Please note the following details about your reservation:

• A credit card is required to guarantee the reservation.
• The reservation is fully cancellable up to 48 hours prior to your arrival. After that time, one night’s room and tax will be charged.
• Parking is not included in the room rate. Valet parking is available for $45 per night or $23 daily, based on availability.
• Hotel check-in time is 4 p.m.; early check-in is not available.
• Luggage storage is available at the front desk if needed.

As a vendor, you are already registered for the conference. You are welcome and encouraged to participate in all of the conference activities (plenary sessions, breakout sessions, seminars, receptions, meals, Masses, etc.) listed in the program.

The following meals are included:

• Tuesday, July 14 – Welcome Reception after the evening’s plenary session (Dinner on your own)
• Wednesday, July 15 – Breakfast, Lunch (Dinner on your own during the free evening to explore Columbus)
• Thursday, July 16 – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Friday, July 17 – Breakfast

The 2026 National Conference, Stepping into the Light, will take place at the Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel in Columbus, Ohio.

The vendor hall is located on the 2nd Floor, in the Pre-Function East, West, and South spaces.

Vendor setup is available as early as Monday, July 13, and should be substantially complete when check-in begins and the vendor space opens on Tuesday, July 14, at 9 a.m. The last vendor hall visit time on the schedule is last minute vendor visits on Thursday evening, July 16, after our closing banquet. We ask that you leave your vendor table set up until after that time. All vendor tables must be taken down by 1 p.m. on Friday, July 17.

As soon as our program schedule is finalized, we will share it on the Attendee Information Page for your reference.

Please contact ICLE’s Events team with any concerns about these vendor arrival and departure times.

In advance of the conference, you will receive a conference venue map indicating the location of your vendor table. Vendor table locations will be pre-assigned. When you arrive, you will find your vendor table labeled with your organization’s name.

Please note that the vendor tables provided by the hotel are six feet in length.

Unless you have already requested a tablecloth to be provided for you, please bring your own tablecloth and anything you need for your display.

All displays must be freestanding; nothing may be attached to the walls or ceiling of the hotel.

Limited electrical outlets are available throughout the vendor area, but are not available at each vendor table. If you have unique electrical needs, please contact the ICLE Events team as soon as possible and no later than June 1. If you need electrical access, and you are at a table near an electrical outlet, you will need to bring your own extension cord to bring the electrical service from the wall to your table.

We anticipate a total of 550 people at the conference, including vendors, speakers, and ICLE staff.

You are welcome to collect conference attendee contact information at your own table via a sign-up sheet, a raffle, or other methods.

Each vendor will have a digital booth on our conference app, which will launch in early June. Watch for more details about how to use the app to reach conference participants and cultivate relationships.

Free conference guest wi-fi is available in the conference event spaces. Hotel guests are encouraged to sign up for free to become Marriott Bonvoy members in advance of the conference in order to receive complimentary in-room internet access.

Please visit the Attendee Information Page for parking details.

• VERY IMPORTANT: Please read carefully the hotel’s Shipping and Receiving document, which explains all of their policies, pricing, dock dimensions, etc. Questions about shipping your materials? Please contact:
  • Dessa Forte, Director of Catering & Convention Services
    Phone: 202-290-4959
    Email: Dessamae.Forte@marriott.com
• Note that the hotel charges vendors $10 per box for each box shipped to the hotel.
• You may ship vendor materials to the hotel in advance of the conference no earlier than three business days prior to the event date. All shipments should arrive July 8, 9, or 10. Please keep in mind the July 4 holiday when shipping. The hotel charges a $25 per box storage fee for any box arriving prior to July 8.
• Please mark each box clearly as “ICLE VENDOR MATERIALS” and ship to the following address:
  • ICLE National Conference – July 14-17
    Guest Name to Hold for Arrival July 13
    ℅ Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel
    50 N. 3rd Street
    Columbus, OH 43215
    # of boxes shipped (i.e. 1 of 5, 2 of 5, etc.)
• For palletized deliveries: Please note that the hotel does NOT have a lift at the loading dock, and only has one truck bay for load-in/load-out. Deliveries must be coordinated more than seven days in advance with:
  • Dessa Forte, Director of Catering & Convention Services
    Phone: 202-290-4959
    Email: Dessamae.Forte@marriott.com
• Return shipping: After the conference, vendor boxes that have been securely packaged for shipping and that have prepaid shipping labels attached (USPS, FedEx, and UPS) may be left at your vendor table. Each vendor must schedule their own pick-ups; the hotel does not assist with scheduling pick-ups.
• Note about box storage during the conference: There is very limited empty box storage available at the conference venue. Please plan to keep your empty boxes under your vendor table.

We will provide you with a list of schools and organizations of our conference attendees, along with the school or organization’s city and state. (Non-vendor conference registrants will be provided with a list of fellow conference attendees. Should you end up with this list, we ask that it not be used for commercial purposes.)

You are welcome to collect individual attendee contact information at your vendor table via sign-up sheets, inquiry cards, raffles, etc.

• Please do not leave valuables unattended at any time during the conference.
• Luggage storage will be made available on the first and last days of the conference. Please stop at the hotel front desk to make arrangements.
• Please view a Google Map of the Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel and the surrounding area.
• The dress code for the conference is business casual.

Please take a moment to provide us with feedback about your vendor experience via our Vendor Feedback Form.

We will refer to your comments and suggestions as we plan for future conferences.