Directory · Conferences & Events

Where homeschool families actually gather.

The national convention tours, state-level conventions, and method-specific retreats that shape the homeschool year. Dates are typical for each annual event — always verify the current year on each organization's site before registering.

Multi-city tour

5 events

Great Homeschool Conventions

GeneralChristian

Great Homeschool Conventions runs four regional conventions each spring in California, Ohio, Texas, and South Carolina. Each event features a large vendor exhibit hall, dozens of workshops and keynote sessions, and special programming for homeschool teens. Christian-leaning in speaker lineup but welcomes all homeschool families. One of the most established convention networks in the country.

When: March – May (four-stop tour)
Where: Ontario, CA (California) · Cincinnati, OH (Midwest) · Round Rock, TX (Texas) · Greenville, SC (Southeast)
Scale: 5,000–10,000 attendees per city
Site: greathomeschoolconventions.com ↗

Teach Them Diligently Homeschool Conventions

Christian

Teach Them Diligently organizes multi-stop Christian homeschool conventions each spring with Bible-centered workshops, curriculum vendors, and family-oriented programming. Offers the Reset Retreat, a smaller Christian homeschool mom gathering, alongside the flagship conventions.

When: March – April
Where: Rogers, AR · Pigeon Forge, TN · Round Rock, TX · Nashville, TN · Atlanta, GA
Scale: 2,000–5,000 attendees per city
Site: teachthemdiligently.net ↗

Classical Conversations Practicum

ClassicalChristian

Classical Conversations Practicum is a free three-morning training held across dozens of cities each summer. Practicums introduce new families to CC's methodology, preview the year's memory work, and provide parent training. Required for new CC Foundations parents; useful primer for anyone considering classical education. Check CC's website for local dates.

When: May – July (multi-city summer tour)
Where: Dozens of cities nationwide — typically held in local churches
Scale: 50–300 per local Practicum
Site: classicalconversations.com ↗

SEA Homeschoolers Conference

Secular

SEA Homeschoolers runs an annual in-person conference for secular, academically-rigorous homeschool families. Workshops focus on secular curriculum (Oak Meadow, Build Your Library, Beast Academy, Torchlight), college prep, and community building outside Christian homeschool spaces. Online SEA community is 40,000+ members.

When: June – August
Where: Varies annually (past years: Denver, Atlanta, Charlotte)
Scale: 500–1,000 attendees
Site: seahomeschoolers.com ↗

IEW Writer's Day

Curriculum-specific

Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) offers parent-training workshops on their Structure and Style writing method at homeschool conventions nationwide and through their own IEW Writer's Day events. Attending parents learn to teach writing before starting IEW materials with their children. Founder Andrew Pudewa is the primary speaker.

When: Spring and summer tour
Where: Various — workshops held at state homeschool conventions
Scale: Workshop-scale (100–500)
Site: iew.com ↗

Southeast

3 events

FPEA Homeschool Convention

General

FPEA is Florida's statewide homeschool organization, founded 1984. Their annual convention is the largest homeschool event in the Southeast outside Great Homeschool Conventions, with 200+ workshops, a full exhibit hall, and dedicated teen programming. Open to FPEA members and non-members.

When: Memorial Day weekend (late May)
Where: Kissimmee, FL (Gaylord Palms Resort)
Scale: 8,000–10,000 attendees
Site: fpea.com ↗

HEAV Convention

General

HEAV has organized Virginia's state homeschool convention for over 40 years. The event features a large exhibit hall, workshops on Virginia-specific compliance, teen track, special needs track, and mom's breakfast. Virginia's distinctive 'religious exemption' homeschool path makes HEAV resources particularly relevant for VA families.

When: June
Where: Richmond, VA (Greater Richmond Convention Center)
Scale: 4,000–6,000 attendees
Site: heav.org ↗

ChildLight USA Retreat

Charlotte Mason

ChildLight USA hosts an annual retreat focused on deepening understanding of Charlotte Mason's educational philosophy. Sessions include narration practice, picture study methodology, and applied nature journaling. Draws both homeschool parents and Charlotte Mason school teachers. Registration typically opens January.

When: June
Where: North Carolina (varies — typically Raleigh area)
Scale: 300–500 attendees
Site: childlightusa.org ↗

South

1 event

THSC Convention

General

THSC's convention covers state legal updates, curriculum browsing, teen conferences, and Texas-specific programming including ESA application guidance since TEFA's 2026-27 launch. Held at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott in late summer to align with back-to-school planning.

When: August
Where: The Woodlands, TX (Houston area)
Scale: 5,000+ attendees
Site: thsc.org ↗

Midwest

3 events

Midwest Homeschool Convention

GeneralChristian

The Midwest Homeschool Convention at Cincinnati draws the largest in-person crowd of the Great Homeschool Conventions tour, covering Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and surrounding states. Includes all Great Homeschool Conventions standard programming plus Midwest-specific sessions.

When: Late March – early April
Where: Cincinnati, OH (Duke Energy Convention Center)
Scale: 10,000+ attendees
Site: midwesthomeschoolconvention.com ↗

CHN Catholic Homeschool Conference

Catholic

CHN's annual conference serves Catholic homeschool families with workshops on Catholic curriculum (Kolbe Academy, Seton, Mother of Divine Grace, Catholic Schoolhouse), apologetics, family catechesis, and parish-based homeschool community building. Includes vendor hall focused on Catholic homeschool resources.

When: June – July
Where: Indianapolis, IN and alternating cities
Scale: 500–1,500 attendees
Site: catholichomeschool.org ↗

Homeschool Iowa Conference

General

Homeschool Iowa's annual conference serves Iowa and surrounding Midwest homeschool families with legal updates (particularly on ESA eligibility, since Iowa's ESA excludes homeschool), curriculum vendor browsing, and teen/parent tracks.

When: June
Where: Des Moines, IA (Iowa Events Center area)
Scale: 1,500–3,000 attendees
Site: homeschooliowa.org ↗

Northeast

3 events

MassHOPE Annual Convention

Christian

MassHOPE has served Massachusetts homeschool families since 1988. Their annual convention draws MA, NH, CT, and RI homeschool families for curriculum browsing and workshops that heavily emphasize compliance with Massachusetts's uniquely strict prior-district-approval homeschool law.

When: April
Where: Worcester, MA (DCU Center)
Scale: 2,500+ attendees
Site: masshope.org ↗

PHAA Convention

General

PHAA (Pennsylvania Homeschoolers Accreditation Agency) organizes homeschool events serving PA's roughly 20,000 homeschool families. Programs cover PA's annual affidavit, portfolio evaluation, and PHAA-issued high school diploma track. Critical attendance for first-year PA homeschool families.

When: Spring
Where: Harrisburg, PA and surrounding
Scale: 1,000–2,000 attendees
Site: phaa.org ↗

NYSHEA Conference

General

NYSHEA's annual conference addresses New York State's homeschool regulation — Individualized Home Instruction Plan (IHIP), quarterly progress reports, and annual assessments. Legal updates on the 2019 religious immunization exemption elimination. Workshops and vendor hall serve NY and surrounding northeast homeschool families.

When: Spring
Where: Rochester, NY or alternating NY cities
Scale: 500–1,500 attendees
Site: nyshea.org ↗

West

3 events

CHEA of California Homeschool Convention

Christian

CHEA of California has organized California's state Christian homeschool convention since 1984. Programs include the CA Private School Affidavit (PSA) filing requirements, approved curricula aligned with CA compulsory topics, and Charter School alternative comparisons. Pasadena Convention Center venue since 2010s.

When: June
Where: Pasadena, CA (Pasadena Convention Center)
Scale: 2,500–4,000 attendees
Site: cheaofca.org ↗

Waldorf Homeschool Conference (Bay Area)

Waldorf

A loose annual gathering organized by regional Waldorf homeschool groups in the Bay Area, offering workshops on Waldorf main-lesson methodology, seasonal festivals, Main Lesson Book techniques, and Waldorf homeschool curriculum publishers (Oak Meadow, Live Education!, Christopherus). Schedule varies; check local Waldorf homeschool community groups for current dates.

When: Varies annually (typically fall or spring)
Where: San Francisco Bay Area
Scale: 50–200 attendees
Site: waldorfhomeschoolers.com ↗

California Homeschool Convention

GeneralChristian

Ontario, California stop of the Great Homeschool Conventions tour, serving California, Arizona, Nevada, and surrounding Western states. Full vendor hall and Great Homeschool Conventions standard programming with West Coast-specific legal workshops.

When: April
Where: Ontario, CA (Ontario Convention Center)
Scale: 6,000+ attendees
Site: californiahomeschoolconvention.com ↗

Online

2 events

HSLDA Membership Events

General

Home School Legal Defense Association provides year-round online events for members covering state-specific homeschool law, special needs accommodations, homeschool-to-college transitions, and advocacy updates. Occasional in-person summits are held at HSLDA's Purcellville, Virginia headquarters.

When: Year-round online webinars + occasional in-person legal summits
Where: HSLDA offices (Purcellville, VA) and online
Scale: Variable — webinars 500–2,000
Site: hslda.org ↗

High School Homeschool Summit

High School & College

Several organizations run recurring online summits for homeschool high school planning. The HomeScholar (Lee Binz) hosts regular webinars on transcript-writing and college prep. HSLDA's high-school consultants offer online and in-person summits. Topics include accreditation, SAT/ACT prep, and homeschool-specific college application strategy.

When: Year-round (various)
Where: Online
Scale: Online, 500–2,000 per event
Site: thehomescholar.com ↗

Timing notes: most homeschool conventions schedule around the early-spring curriculum-buying window (March–May) and late-summer planning window (July–August). Dates shift year to year. Always confirm on each organization's site before making travel arrangements.