Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
Julia Flood, a web and digital engagement specialist in Lexington, participates in a networking reception during Connect 351 in January 2026 in Boston.
Registration opens today for Connect 351, the MMA’s annual conference, which will be held Jan. 21-23 in Boston’s Seaport District.
With a diverse program of events, Connect 351 offers local leaders an opportunity to collaborate with and learn from their peers across the Commonwealth, as well as through timely, information-packed workshops, myriad networking opportunities, membership business meetings, receptions, awards programs, and other engaging activities.
The event will be held at the Menino Convention and Exhibition Center.
The Connect 351 program is quickly taking shape, and MMA staff are hard at work finalizing the remaining details. As always, the latest and most comprehensive information about the conference is available on connect351.org.
A new video on the Connect 351 website features interviews with nine MMA members about why the conference is so meaningful for them. “It’s a little bit like our Super Bowl,” says Amesbury Mayor and MMA President Kassandra Gove.
Workshops
The 2027 conference will feature a total of 18 workshops over two days, with six workshops on Thursday and 12 on Friday.
Workshops will cover a range of timely and critical municipal topics such as municipal and labor law, fiscal outlook, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, procurement, communications, avoiding burnout, and much more. Complete workshop details will be available on the Connect 351 website by mid-November.
Trade Show
Exhibitors continue to fill the rows for the annual Trade Show, where more than 275 companies, nonprofits and government agencies will be showcasing the latest innovations, technology and services for municipalities.
The Trade Show will be open on Thursday, Jan. 21, from 2 to 5:30 p.m., and on Friday, Jan. 22, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. An opening reception will be held on Thursday from 4 to 5:30 p.m. The Trade Show will not be open on Saturday, Jan. 23.
More information will be available soon on the series of nine Learning Labs that will return to the Trade Show floor.
The Trade Show web page has complete information, including sponsorship opportunities, a contract for exhibit space, a new exhibit hall floor plan, and the list of exhibitors and sponsors from the 2026 event. The MMA will update the online floor plan as exhibit contracts are received, and sponsors and exhibitor lists will be updated continually on the event website.
If you know of a company that would be interested in sponsoring or exhibiting but is not currently listed, contact the MMA’s event and development specialist, Stacey Compton-Maga, at [email protected] or 617-426-7272, ext. 154. Click here to learn more about event sponsorship opportunities.
Schedule and features
The 2027 conference will open on the afternoon of Thursday, Jan. 21, with the Trade Show, a block of six workshops, two interactive sessions (Women Leading Government with journalist Emily Sweeney and public speaking with Kit Pang), a reception on the Trade Show floor, and the Belonging in Municipal Affairs reception at the Omni Hotel next door. The Trade Show and Headshot Station for members will open at 2 p.m.
Conference programming continues all day on Friday, Jan. 22, with keynote speaker Jeff Speck, discussing how walkability creates a thriving community for all.
Saturday events include MIIA’s Annual Business Meeting and Breakfast, member business meetings, and the MMA Annual Business Meeting. The conference will conclude at 12:30 p.m with a networking lunch.