Complete Story
06/09/2025
Registration is Open for the 2025 State Conference
October 8-10, 2025 | Old Post Office, Chicago IL
Hold onto your hats and glasses—because the wildest conference in the Midwest is here! We’re inviting you to join us for a celebration of the narratives that make our communities great places in Illinois.
A Message from Conference Chair, Phillip Green, AICP - this year's conference is somewhat unique, and it calls for a different kind of introduction... CLICK HERE for a heartfelt answer to the question: how did we get here?
From the first sketch on a napkin to the ribbon-cutting ceremony, every plan has a story. At APAIL25, you’ll learn how to craft, share, and champion those stories—whether you’re revitalizing a downtown, launching a new park, or just trying to explain what you do for a living to your parents.
2025 APA-IL State Conference
October 8-10, 2025
Old Post Office, 433 W Van Buren St., Chicago
#APAIL25
ilapa.org/apail25
Volunteer!
Every epic tale needs its heroes—step into the story as a conference volunteer and get a free day of adventure for just half a day’s quest. - volunteer 1/2 a day and get the same day for free. Sign up!
The Heart of Our Story
10/9 Keynote & Fireside Chat with Margaret Chandra Kerrison
Award-winning immersive storyteller Margaret Kerrison shares how narrative design can transform our understanding and experience of both real and imagined environments. Drawing on her background in themed entertainment, interactive media, and large-scale experiential design, Kerrison will offer planners and placemakers new ways to think about narrative as infrastructure-something that shapes how people relate to the world around them.
10/9 Workshop: A Practical Toolkit - Immersive Storytelling for Real and Imagined Worlds with Margaret Chandra Kerrison
After the Keynote and Fireside Chat, join Ms. Kerrison for a 90 minute, in-depth, hands-on workshop. She invites urban planners, designers, and community developers to explore practical tools for integrating storytelling into their projects. Participants will learn methods for identifying a site’s narrative potential, developing key story elements (themes, characters, roles), and aligning story with physical and emotional wayfinding.
The Journey
Where will the conference take you? Let's see what tomorrow will bring:
Opening Session: The storytelling adventure begins with Conference Chair Phil Green, AICP and Speaker Bruce Knight, FAICP.
Plenary Session: Angela Brooks, FAICP, in Conversation with Nina Idemudia, AICP
Sessions Galore! • Mobile Workshops • Speed Internships • AICP Exam Prep • Thursday Trivia Night • Awards Ceremony & Rooftop Reception
Click here for the full conference program! From creative placemaking and decarbonization to transit-friendly communities and the latest in zoning reform, APAIL25 is packed with sessions to inspire every planner’s story.
Hotel Block is Available
Holiday Inn & Suites Chicago-Downtown
506 West Harrison Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607
$179/night plus fees & tax.
Click here for more information (see the Venue & Accommodations tab).
Support the APA-IL
We offer a wide range of sponsorship packages to fit your goals and budget. Early pricing is available till September 5, 2025.
If you know a company that should be front and center at the best planning event in Illinois, give them a nudge by forwarding this email.
Download the prospectus, click here to sign-up, or email Shelly Greenwood at CGi.
Conference Details
2025 APA-IL State Conference
October 8-10, 2025
Old Post Office
433 W Van Buren St., Chicago
#APAIL25
ilapa.org/apail25
Questions?
Don't hesitate to contact us:
- 2025 Conference Chair, Phil Green, AICP
- 2025 Sponsorship Sales, Shelly Greenwood at CGi
- APA-IL Executive Director, Paula Freeze
