The ICCFA Experience 2026: Where the Deathcare Profession Comes Together
STERLING, Va. (January 22, 2026) – The International Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association (ICCFA) invites deathcare professionals from around the world to the 2026 ICCFA Experience, taking place April 29–May 1, in Fort Worth, Texas. Designed to be more than a traditional convention, The ICCFA Experience brings education, innovation, and connection together in one immersive, high-energy event.
Set in a city known for its hospitality and proud sense of tradition, The ICCFA Experience 2026 reimagines how professionals learn and connect. Education is woven directly into the expo hall, with multiple stages ensuring attendees are always close to timely insights, new ideas, and meaningful conversations. Sessions will address the most pressing topics facing the profession today, including evolving consumer expectations, sales and marketing strategy, artificial intelligence, memorialization, leadership development, sustainability, legislative advocacy, and more.
“The ICCFA Experience represents the very best of who we are as an association and where our profession is headed,” said Bob Gordon, Jr., CCE, President of the ICCFA. “It’s where education, innovation, and collaboration come together to help funeral, cemetery, and cremation professionals meet the evolving needs of the families they serve. This event reflects our commitment to leadership, excellence, and the future of deathcare.”
The Experience officially opens Wednesday, April 29, with educational sessions, committee meetings, and networking opportunities, culminating in the President’s Welcome Reception, open to all attendees and exhibitors. The evening continues with the President’s Banquet, a signature ICCFA event honoring leadership, service, and excellence within the profession, while celebrating the presidential transition, Darin Drabing’s ICCFA Hall of Fame induction, Ray Frew’s ICCFA Educational Foundation’s Lasting Impact Award ceremony, and the Celebration of Remembrance. The night will conclude with a performance by comedian and impressionist, Matthew Friend.
Thursday, April 30, features the Grand Opening of the expo hall, where innovation comes to life through hands-on demonstrations, supplier engagement, and dynamic programming throughout the day. A highlight of the Experience is the keynote address by Chris Bashinelli, National Geographic Explorer and scientist of human connection. His presentation, Authentic Connection: The Superpower to Better Sales and True Business Growth, will challenge attendees to rethink trust, empathy, and connection as essential drivers of long-term success.
“The ICCFA Experience is intentionally designed around our members—how they learn, how they connect, and how they grow,” said Nadira Baddeliyanage, Executive Director of the ICCFA. “By bringing education onto the expo hall floor and creating spaces for meaningful conversation, we’re delivering an event that is immersive, practical, and deeply relevant to today’s deathcare professionals. Fort Worth provides the perfect backdrop for an experience that is both inspiring and forward-looking.”
Throughout the event, attendees will experience standout programming such as America’s Got Ashes, a creative, competition-style session addressing the growing challenge of unplaced cremated remains, along with dozens of concurrent educational sessions offering practical, real-world takeaways. From AI applications and modern marketing strategies to green funerals, pet loss services, and leadership development, the 2026 event program reflects the full breadth and future of the deathcare profession.
The ICCFA Experience concludes Friday, May 1, with continued expo hall engagement, education sessions both inside and outside the hall, and the Irwin W. Shipper Legislative Session and Luncheon, providing insight into key federal and state issues impacting funeral homes, cemeteries, and crematories across North America.
The ICCFA Experience 2026 is where ideas turn into solutions, conversations turn into partnerships, and professionals come together to shape what’s next for the deathcare profession.
Early bird registration is available now through February 13. Find full event details at iccfa.com/annual.
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Founded in 1887, the International Cemetery, Cremation, and Funeral Association is the only international trade association representing all segments of the cemetery, cremation, funeral, and memorialization profession. The association is comprised of more than 10,000 members in the cemetery, funeral home, and crematory industries, as well as supplier and related businesses worldwide.
