2027 CADA STATE CONVENTION EXHIBITS
The CADA State Convention is the nation’s premier event for Activities Directors and student leadership programs, bringing together educators, advisors, and school decision-makers from across California and beyond.
As an exhibitor, you’ll connect directly with professionals who shape school culture, leadership development, student engagement, fundraising, and campus events. Showcase your products and services while building valuable relationships with a highly engaged audience.
Increase your brand visibility, generate quality leads, strengthen partnerships, and demonstrate how your organization supports student leaders and school communities.
Exhibitor Dates: February 25-26, 2027
Venue: Palm Springs Convention Center
Convention Exhibitor Information
What Is Included With Your Booth
Standard Booth
10′ x 10′ draped booth, table, chairs, electric service, exhibitor registrations, attendee access, and attendee list. Email addresses are available through the official lead retrieval service only.
Approved Vendors
Only the following vendors are approved by CADA:
TriCord Expo Services and 1st Sales Lead Retrieval are CADA’s approved exhibitor service partners.
Orchid Events Housing is our exclusive provider of convention hotel accommodations and discounted room rates for CADA Convention.
Payment Policy
30-Day Deadline
Credit card payments are instant. Check payments must be received within 30 days.
Registration Terms
Full payment is due within 30 days to secure and maintain booth space.
Exhibitor Registration
Exhibitor Booth Prices
- Member First Booth $1,300
- Member Additional Booths $1,250
- Non-Member Booths $2,300
$100 Late fee/booth if booked after December 31, 2026
Not a member? Check out Affiliate Membership information.
Fee is based on Sales to CA Schools per year.
All attendees agree to the Exhibitor Booth Set Up Agreement & Guidelines upon registering for the event.
How to Register
All attendees must register online and complete payment on the payment screen—you are not registered until you receive the confirmation page/email.
For registration policies, click here.
For registration edits, email info@cada1.org.
By registering, you agree to all CADA Convention Policies.
Paying by Check
Select “Sending Check” at checkout and click “Submit and Complete Order.”
Mail checks to:
CADA – 7960 Soquel Dr., Suite B112, Aptos, CA 95003
Please include a copy of your confirmation with payment.
Switching Payment Methods
If you registered using “Sending Check” and now prefer to pay by credit card or CALCARD, simply call CADA Central or log in to your account to process payment online.
What Is Included With Your Booth
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Carpeted 10′ x 10′ x 8′ fully draped exhibit booth
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One 6′ table, two chairs, wastebasket, and identification sign
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Two exhibitor registrations per booth
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One 500-watt electrical outlet for booths purchased at least 30 days prior to the convention
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Access to an electronic attendee list before and after the conference (excluding email addresses)*
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Company profile and contact information featured on the online virtual floor plan
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Eligibility for the Booth Decorating Contest and exhibitor incentives
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Access to social events, workshops, and convention sessions
Attendee List**
CADA does not provide attendee email addresses. The only way to retain and access attendee email information is through the 1st Sales lead retrieval system. The attendee list is updated in real time for your convenience.
Hotel lodging is not included with registration. Click here for lodging details.
Special Events & Networking Opportunities
All registered exhibitors are invited to participate in these convention events and networking opportunities throughout the week:
Wednesday | 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Dinner & Opening Night Reception
Sponsored by Pegleg Entertainment
Thursday | 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Exhibit Hall Reception
Sponsored by SOS Entertainment
Thursday | 9:00 PM – 12:00 AM
Herff Jones After-Hours Party
Friday | 9:00 PM – 12:00 AM
Dessert & Dance
Sponsored by Lifetouch
Additional Tickets
Friday Dinner & Dance Ticket: $75
Each registered exhibitor receives one complimentary ticket. Additional tickets may be purchased for guests or additional booth representatives.
This version emphasizes that exhibitors are welcome and frames the events as networking and attendee engagement opportunities rather than just a list of parties.
Booth Representative Name Badges
When you register, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to the Booth Representative Registration Form, where you can submit your booth representative names.
Each booth includes two (2) representative badges. Additional representatives may be added for $50 per person. Companies with 10 or more representatives may email their attendee list to info@cada1.org.
Deadline: Submit representative names by February 5, 2027, to guarantee badges are ready at Exhibitor Check-In. Changes received after this date will be processed onsite.
Need to substitute a representative? Simply submit the original attendee’s information followed by the new attendee’s information.
Annual Booth Decorating Contest
This year’s theme is The Leadership Kitchen: CADA’s Recipe for Success!
We’re inviting exhibitors to bring the theme to life with creative booth displays inspired by cooking, recipes, restaurants, bakeries, food trucks, cooking competitions, and all things culinary. Show attendees how your products and services are part of the recipe for successful student leadership programs and activities.
Want to stand out even more? Dress your booth staff as chefs, bakers, sous chefs, restaurant owners, cooking show hosts, or kitchen crews to fully embrace the theme. The more creative, engaging, and interactive your booth, the better!
Prizes for the best-decorated booths include:
Two Categories: Single Booth & Multiple Booths
• 1st prize – 50% off booth for next convention
• 2nd runner ups – 25% off booth for next convention
We look forward to seeing the innovation and creativity you bring to the exhibit hall. Join us at the 2027 CADA Convention and share your recipe for success!
CADA 2026 Booth Decoration Contest Winners:
MULTIPLE BOOTH DECORATING CONTEST WINNERS
Single Booth First Place: Pegleg Entertainment (Booths 311A, 311B, 311C, 311D)
Single Booth Runner Up: Wow Events! (Booths 132, 134)
Single Booth Runner Up: Kustom Imprints (Booths 325, 424)
SINGLE BOOTH DECORATING CONTEST WINNERS
Multiple Booth First Place: FSP Designs (Booth 720)
Multiple Booth Runner Up: gamesarenowhere (Booth 800)
Multiple Booth Runner Up: Hometown (Booth 426)
Lodging & Transportation
Book Now with Orchid Housing
You must make your hotel reservation through Orchid Events. Hotel reservations are taken on a first-come, first-served, space-available basis. Submit your request as soon as possible for the best opportunity of receiving your hotel choice.
Deadline
All reservations must be received by January 7, 2027, to guarantee availability and conference rates. After this date, reservations will be made based on availability and hotels may charge higher rates.
Ways to Book Hotel Reservations
Online: CLICK HERE (for new reservation OR to modify or cancel an existing hotel reservation)
Telephone: Agents available 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday
Toll-free (US): 1-888-585-7422
Deposit
All reservation requests must be accompanied by a credit card guarantee equaling the amount of one night’s room and tax for each room reserved. Your credit card WILL NOT BE CHARGED during this initial stage and will be held as a GUARANTEE only.
Acknowledgments
Orchid Events will send reservation acknowledgements within 24 hours via email if booked online or by telephone. If you do not receive your acknowledgement in this time frame, contact Orchid Events. You will not receive written confirmation from the hotel.
Cancellations & Changes
Reservations canceled between the date of booking and January 15, 2027, are subject to a $50 cancellation fee. Cancellations received after January 15, 2027, will forfeit the deposit equal to one night’s room rate and applicable taxes.
Through January 25, 2027, changes and cancellations can be made online or by contacting Orchid Events via e-mail at help@orchid.events. After January 25, 2027, contact your hotel to make changes and/or cancellations.
Questions or Special Requests?
For questions or special requests, please contact Orchid Events at 1-888-585-7422 or e-mail to help@orchid.events. Special requests are not guaranteed. Hotels will assign specific room types upon check-in, based on availability.
Transportation
No matter where you’re traveling from in California, Palm Springs is a convenient and accessible destination. Located in the heart of Southern California, Palm Springs is just a short drive from many major cities:
- Los Angeles Area: Approximately 2–3 hours
- Orange County: About 2 hours
- San Diego: Around 2.5–3 hours
- Central Coast (Santa Barbara/San Luis Obispo): 4–5 hours
- Sacramento: Approximately 7–8 hours
- San Francisco Bay Area: About 7–8 hours
Prefer to fly? Palm Springs International Airport offers direct flights from many California cities and is just minutes from local hotels and attractions.
Hotel Shuttles
Free shuttles will be running during convention hours to all the CADA Convention Hotels.
Schedule of Events
New this year! We are starting earlier! The sessions will begin at 10 AM on Tuesday, and the convention will close at midnight on Friday night.
- 8 AM – 7 PM: Registration & Info Desk
- 9 AM – 12 PM: ASB Finance Pre-Conference (additional fee)
- 10 AM – 10:45 AM: Session 1
- 11 AM – 11:45 AM: Session 2
- 1–4 PM: MAA Seminars (additional fee)
- 1:30–2:15 PM: Session 3
- 2:30–3:15 PM: Session 4
- 4–5 PM: Speaker Showcase / New to Convention
- 5:30–7 PM: Opening Keynote
- 7–10 PM: Dinner & Opening Night Reception Sponsored by Pegleg Entertainment
- 7:10–8 AM: Yoga
- 9–10:30 AM: General Session
- 10:45–11:30 AM: Session 5
- 11:45–12:30 PM: Session 6
- 4:10–5:55 PM: Sessions 7 & 8
- 6–9 PM: Exhibit Hall Reception Sponsored by SOS Entertainment
- 9 PM–12 AM: Herff Jones Party
- 7:15–8 AM: CADA Scholarship 5k/1k Walk
- 9–10:15 AM: Camp Staff Meeting
- 11:15–12:00 PM: Session 9
- 12:15–1 PM: Session 10/Awards Reception
- 1:30–3 PM: General Session
- 3:15–5 PM: Guru Guides/Sessions 11 & 12
- 7:30–9 PM: Dinner
- 9 PM–12 AM: Dessert & Dance Sponsored by Lifetouch
Lead Retrieval
1st Sales Lead Retrieval will again provide mobile-friendly lead retrieval services at the CADA Convention.
Services include:
- Mobile scanning (no booth power required)
- Lead qualification and note-taking
- Leads delivered in Excel and/or Outlook after the show
- Full contact records, including attendee email addresses
- Post-conference email sent to prospects with your company profile
Lead retrieval is the only authorized way to collect attendee contact information, including email addresses.
Social Events
- Opening Night Reception – Pegleg Entertainment
- Exhibitor Reception Sponsored by SOS Entertainment – light appetizers
- Herff Jones Party
- Dinner & Dance – Sponsored by Lifetouch
Apply to Present
Share your expertise with CADA Convention attendees by presenting an educational workshop.
Application deadline: October 31
Offers to present emailed by: December 10
Workshop proposals are open to exhibiting companies and affiliated organizations that plan to attend the CADA State Convention. To be considered, exhibitors must reserve booth space by October 31.
Please note that workshop presenters are selected based on the educational value and relevance of their proposal. Presenting at the convention is a professional opportunity and does not include compensation, complimentary booth space, or free convention registration. All presenters must register for and attend the convention at the applicable registration rate.
Workshops
Workshop sessions will be spread from Wednesday to Friday. CADA offers a wide array of topics applicable to activities directors, administrators, finance clerks, class/club advisors, LINK/WEB advisors, athletic directors, and any position that supports school culture and climate.
*TIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Wednesday
Session 1 at 10:00 a.m. (45 mins)
Session 2 at 11:00 a.m. (45 mins)
Session 3 at 1:30 p.m. (45 mins)
Session 4 at 2:30 p.m. (45 mins)
Thursday
Session 5 at 10:45 a.m. (45 mins)
Session 6 at 11:45 a.m. (45 mins)
Session 7 at 4:10 p.m. (45 mins)
Session 8 at 5:10 p.m. (45 mins)
Friday
Session 9 at 11:15 a.m. (45 mins)
Session 10 at 12:15 p.m. (45 mins)
Session 11 at 3:15 p.m. (45 mins)
Session 12 at 4:15 p.m. (45 mins)
Apply Now!
All applicants need to apply to be considered for a session. Vendors must have a booth before applying to be considered.
All presenters are expected to UPLOAD an electronic resource or link related to their presentation to be included in the online CADA Resource Library and the Convention mobile app. This resource will be due 2 weeks prior to the Convention to allow adequate time for the Convention team to process and post resources.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY TO PRESENT
(You must be logged in to a Google account to complete the application.)
Workshops & Meet the Pros
Deadline to Apply: October 31
Offer to Present emailed by: December 10
Presenter Questions
e: jculver@cadaboard.org
p: 661.492.3202
Offers to Present will come from CADApresenter@gmail.com (workshops) or CADAroundtable@gmail.com (Meet the Pros). Please add these to your address book to keep them from the dreaded Spam/Junk folder.
Administrator's Day
Future Dates
- 2026: March 4–6 – Grand Sierra Resort, Reno, NV
- 2027: Feb 24–26 – Palm Springs Convention Center, Palm Springs, CA
- 2028: Mar 1–3 – Grand Sierra Resort, Reno, NV