Overview

The Congress of Cities and Exposition held at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center from November 28th through December 1st will bring together local leaders from cities across the United States. Conference participants will find a range of learning and networking opportunities highlighting successful programs from the City of Boston and communities across the country.

The Congress of Cities program will focus on three overarching strategies for cities: Promoting Strong Local Economies, Building Sustainable Communities and Strengthening Neighborhoods and Families. Each of the strategies will be explored through keynote addresses, workshops, peer networking sessions, mobile workshops, leadership training seminars, the City Showcase, and the Exhibit Hall. Before and after the main conference programming NLC will offer the traditional governance activities, state municipal league activities and meetings of NLC committees, councils and constituency groups.  

• Promote Strong Local Economies by learning how to promote 21st century workforce skills and to spur, support, attract and retain businesses.  
• Build Sustainable Communities by learning how to develop the partnerships and strategies to go beyond standalone investments in a city's built environment and move toward integrated approaches that facilitate connected, intelligent and sustainable communities.  
• Strengthen Neighborhoods and Families by fostering supportive families, homes and neighborhoods, to provide critical opportunities for individuals to grow, learn and prosper.

Full Program and Exposition Guide

Dynamic Workshops

A wide ranging selection of workshops are designed to engage participants and share the most promising skills, strategies, and best practices to continue to keep the nation's cities and towns prosperous.

Mobile Workshops

Host city Boston is offering off-site workshops, free of charge to registered delegates, to showcase collaborative solutions to issues facing local government.

Governance Activities

Throughout the conference, NLC member-city officials will participate in the important work of governing the association.  Most of the governance meetings listed are open to the public and you are encouraged to stop in to observe and consider how you might become involved.

Leadership Training Seminars

Educational seminars are crafted so participants obtain current resources, develop strategies, build skills, and engage in small group discussions and exercises with their peers from other communities.

Spouse & Guest Tours

Special tours created each year by the host city offer spouses and guests the chance to explore the city for its educational value.

Exhibit Hall Opportunities

Exhibitors can increase their visibility among attendees by investing in an exhibit hall opportunity. These opportunities, exclusive to exhibitors, will give your company/organization expanded recognition during the two days of the exposition.

Schedule

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

• 10:00 am
  Quack-Quack!! Boston Duck Tour (Show details)

  Truly Boston’s most unique tour experience is on our famous Duck boats! Your Duck, a World War II amphibious vehicle traverses past historic sites including the State House, Boston Common, and Government Center, fashionable Newbury Street and so much more!

   

  Then, it’s into the Charles River you go for breathtaking views of the Boston and Cambridge skylines — unique vistas you can’t get anywhere else! Each conDUCKtor is a unique character in costume, bringing to you Boston’s history laced with lore and legends.

   

  TOUR INFORMATION
  Cost per person:    $53.00
  Tour length:            75 – 90 minutes
  

   

  Note:  Wear practical clothing; you will likely get splashed in the river.  Tours go rain or shine.  Fun for all ages!

   

  Register

• 11:30 am
  Boston’s Black Heritage Trail (Show details)

  This is one of the most informative tours in Boston! The first Africans arrived in Boston in February of 1638, eight years after the city was founded. They were brought as slaves, purchased in Providence Isle, a Puritan colony off the coast of Central America. By 1705, there were over 400 slaves in Boston and the beginnings of a free black community in the North End.

   

  One of Boston’s BEST walking tours, the 1.6-mile Black Heritage Trail encompasses 15 pre-Civil War structures relating to the history of Boston's 19th century African-American community, including the African Meeting House, the oldest standing African-American church in the United States.

   

  TOUR INFORMATION

  Cost per person:        $42.00
  Tour length:                4 hours
  

   

  Note:  This tour has considerable walking, some over cobblestone streets. Sensible footwear recommended.  

   

  Register

Thursday, November 29, 2012

• 9:00 am
  JFK Tour - Harvard University & John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum (Show details)

  It is a short ride then stroll Harvard University as your guide points out the historic architecture of the oldest university in the country, where John F. Kennedy lived and studied in his younger years.

   

  You’ll have time to browse the unique shops, boutiques and bookstores of Harvard Square before heading off to Dorchester to tour the magnificent John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

   

  On arrival at the museum, visitors are invited to view a 17-minute film introducing John F Kennedy, In the museum’s three theaters, period settings and 25 dramatic multimedia exhibits, you enter the recreated world of the Kennedy Presidency for a first-hand experience of John F. Kennedy’s life, legacy, and leadership.

   

  TOUR INFORMATION
  Cost per person:       $50.00
  Tour length:              4  hours
  
  Note:  This tour has considerable walking; sensible footwear recommended.  Not suitable for children under 5 years of age.
  

   

  Register

• 9:00 am
  Behind the Scenes at Fenway Park! (Show details)

  Come enjoy this behind-the-scenes tour of Boston’s famous Fenway Park! No other professional baseball park captures the spirit and triggers emotion like Fenway Park. Named for the famous “Fens” area of Boston where it stands, Fenway Park has been a Boston landmark since 1912 — a standing monument to America’s favorite pastime. Come experience Fenway Park up-close and personal. This is the park where the Babe pitched, The Kid hit, Yaz dazzled and Ortiz still thrills young fans today.

   

  After your tour of Boston’s hallowed shrine, free time will be afforded to shop for sports apparel and souvenirs.

   

  TOUR INFORMATION
  Cost per person:   $43.00
  Tour length:          2 - 3 hours
  
  

  Note: This tour has a fair amount of walking. Great fun for all ages!

   

  Register

• 12:00 pm
  Explore Boston Tour (Show details)

  This is the essential tour to take when you come to Boston! 
  
  Your tour takes you through Boston’s beautiful Victorian Back Bay area, built entirely upon reclaimed wetlands and home to two architectural masterpieces, Trinity Church and the Boston Public Library.

   

  Next, drive through the prestigious Beacon Hill neighborhood, as you hear about it’s rich history and it’s famous neighbors. Several photo stops at key locations in Boston’s and our Nation’s history are hi-lites as well as a brief walk into Boston’s renowned North End.
  
  TOUR INFORMATION
  Cost per person: $30.00
  Tour length:        4 hours
  
  

  Please note: Some walking on cobblestone streets; sensible footwear recommended.  Not suitable as is for children under 5 years of age – customized tour available for children.

   

  Register

Friday, November 30, 2012

• 9:30 am
  Institute of Contemporary Art & Newbury Street Art Galleries (Show details)

  After seventy years at the leading edge of art in the city, the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) has opened a new, visionary building poised to capture the stimulation of contemporary culture and the excitement of a revitalized waterfront area. The building was conceived both "from the sky down," as a contemplative space for experiencing contemporary art, and "from the ground up," providing dynamic areas for public enjoyment. The design weaves together interior and exterior space, producing shifting perspectives of the waterfront throughout the museum's galleries and public spaces.

   

  Your Boston art tour continues to fashionable Newbury Street, where connoisseurs will visit three of Boston’s prominent galleries: the Vose Gallery, the Guild of Boston Artists and the Copley Society. A representative at each respective gallery will be on hand to speak with your guests about the paintings and art on exhibit.

   

  TOUR INFORMATION
  Cost per person       $75.00
  Tour length               4 hours    

   

  Register

• 11:30 am
  Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and Newbury Street Shopping (Show details)

  Isabella Stewart Gardner first welcomed visitors to her palazzo museum on New Year's Day, 1903. On that evening guests listened to the music of Bach, Mozart, and Schumann, gazed in wonder at the courtyard full of flowers, and viewed one of the nation's finest collections of art. Today, visitors have much the same experience, as the Gardner Museum has remained essentially unchanged since its founder's death in 1924. Unchanged but certainly not stagnant; its three floors of galleries surround a garden courtyard blooming with life in every season.

   

  Following your tour of Mrs. Gardner’s treasure-laden palazzo your guests will be escorted to the city’s most enchanting avenue, Newbury Street. This is the place to see and be seen in Boston, with its one-of-a-kind boutiques, salons, antique shops, art galleries and cafes. Boston's Newbury Street has something for everyone!

   

  TOUR INFORMATION
  Cost per person:    $53.00
  Tour length:           4 hours
  

   

  Register

• 12:00 pm
  The Freedom Trail (Show details)

  Your comfortable motor coach transports you to beautiful Boston Common to begin your walk along the Freedom Trail! From here, your guide leads you on a 90-minute walking tour back to colonial times, concluding at Faneuil Hall.

   

  Boston's 2 ½ - mile walk through history follows the red brick road to 16 historic sites: Boston Common, The Massachusetts State House, Park Street Church, Granary Burying Ground, King's Chapel, Ben Franklin's statue, Old South Meeting House, Old Corner Bookstore, Old State House, Boston Massacre Site, Faneuil Hall, Paul Revere House, Old North Church, Copps Hill Burying Ground, USS Constitution and the Bunker Hill Monument. Your walking tour will end in Boston’s historical Faneiul Hall, where you will have time to browse the Marketplace’s food hall and plethora of shops!

   

  TOUR INFORMATION
  Cost per person:         $31.00
  Tour length:                4 hours
  

   

  Note: This tour is mostly walking, some on cobblestone streets. Sensible footwear recommended.  Not suitable for children under five years of age.

   

  Register

Hotel/Travel

Boston Convention & Exposition Center
Boston, MA
(617)954-2800

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