GEL 2026 Conference Brings Innovators to Accord and New Paltz |
The Good Work Institute's annual gathering returns October 2-3, featuring speaker presentations, workshops, and unique community experiences |
The Good Work Institute's GEL 2026 conference returns October 2-3, 2026, bringing together innovators, artists, and community builders at Skate Time in Accord, NY. The two-day event features speaker presentations, guided community building, workshops, and exclusive experiences throughout the Accord and New Paltz area.
What is GEL?
GEL stands for Good, Engaging, Learning — and that's exactly what attendees get. The conference brings together diverse voices from business, art, technology, and community organizing to share insights and build connections. Past speakers have included entrepreneurs, artists, and thought leaders from across the Hudson Valley and beyond.
Friday and Saturday Programming
Friday, October 2, kicks off with check-in at 8 AM and speaker presentations starting at 9 AM. Lunch is provided thanks to sponsor Upstate Curious. After lunch, attendees participate in off-site GEL tours and workshops in the Accord and New Paltz area. Each attendee is assigned one experience to participate in.
Friday evening is free for attendees to explore dinner options in the area. After dinner, everyone is invited back to Skate Time for the GEL party, complete with roller skating (though participation is optional — there's plenty to do even if you don't skate).
Saturday, October 3, features small-group discussions and reflection about the themes and learnings from the event. The conference closes before lunch, giving attendees time to explore the region.
Tickets and Registration
Regular ticket pricing ended September 2, with prices now at $350. Student and artist tickets are available for $75. Students can email the organizers from their student address to register.
Tickets are 90% refundable until two weeks before the event, and 50% refundable starting September 18.
For more information and to register, visit GoodWorkInstitute.org/events/gel-2026. |
62 Comments
Join the conversation
I wish the student registration process had been as simple as buying a ticket. Having to email from a student address is one more step, though $75 is a helpful price.
Skate Time wouldn't have been my first guess for a learning conference, but it sounds more welcoming than a hotel meeting room. The Friday night party fits the space.
It's good to see community organizers included alongside business and tech speakers. I'd be curious how much of the Friday program focused on work already happening in the Hudson Valley.
The September 18 refund change is worth paying attention to. With an assigned workshop and a $350 ticket, I'd want my plans settled well before then.
The optional skating part made me smile. I can talk to strangers, but I cannot stay upright on skates.
Grace KimSame here. I stayed off the rink and still had plenty of people to talk to.
I live near Accord and somehow missed this. Would love to hear whether locals could attend just the Friday night party.
I've been to events where the best part was talking in a small group afterward. Making room for that on Saturday was a smart choice.
Upstate Curious covering lunch is nice. One less thing to figure out between the talks and afternoon tours.
People from business, art, and community organizing in the same room could make for a good discussion. I'd be curious what came out of Saturday.
The October dates seem well chosen for showing visitors around the area. I hope the afternoon tours gave them a look at Accord beyond the drive to Skate Time.
I like that Friday evening isn't packed with another required session. A little free time before the skating party probably makes for better conversations anyway.
I would've preferred a full workshop schedule ahead of time. An assigned experience could be great or totally miss the mark.
Friday evening being open for local restaurants was a nice touch. Hope some Accord spots got a boost from the crowd.
Rosa HernandezI saw a few conference badges at dinner in Accord that night. Nice to have people stick around instead of heading straight home.
Was there transportation between Skate Time and the Friday afternoon tours? That matters if attendees are coming in without a car.
The off-site workshop idea sounds great if there's enough time to actually do something. I'd be interested to hear what the New Paltz groups worked on.
Did the skating rink have space for the talks too? I'm trying to picture speaker presentations at Skate Time.
Yes, Skate Time was the main conference venue, with Friday’s speaker presentations scheduled there before the off-site afternoon activities. The skating party was later that evening.
Mike D.They used the space off the rink for presentations. It was easier to hear the speakers than I expected.
I'm glad there was an artist rate. Conferences about creative work can be hard for working artists to afford.
Tara NguyenAgreed. The $75 rate made a big difference, even if travel and taking time off still add up.
I can see why artists would get a reduced rate, but the jump from $75 to $350 is steep. A local resident price might make this easier for more neighbors to attend.
Lunch from Upstate Curious was a thoughtful touch. When a program starts at 9 AM and keeps going through afternoon workshops, one less meal to figure out helps.
The off-site experiences sound like the best part. Getting out into Accord and New Paltz beats staying in one room all day.
That refund policy would've made me read the dates twice before registering. September 18 came up fast.
The refund dates were worth a second look: the policy changed from 90% to 50% refundable starting September 18. Thanks for pointing that out.
Good, Engaging, Learning is a cheerful name, though I had no idea that's what GEL stood for. The community-building part interests me more than the business talks.
It's nice that the Friday afternoon activities take people beyond the conference venue. I hope the tours included some smaller local groups in Accord.
Good, Engaging, Learning is a pretty straightforward name. Did the workshops live up to it?
Omar LewisI went on the New Paltz tour and got a lot out of the conversations. Can't speak for the other workshops, though.
Closing before lunch Saturday is a little short for a two-day conference. I wonder how much time the discussions actually got.
The refund policy seems fair, but I'd want a clearer picture of the Friday workshops before paying $350. Being assigned an experience is a bit of a gamble.
I used to skate at Skate Time, so seeing it host a conference made me smile. That's a pretty memorable place to bring people together.
Small-group discussions on Saturday sound more useful to me than another morning of speeches. You usually learn what stuck with people once they get a chance to talk.
I appreciate the lower student price. It would help to say whether students can pick an off-site workshop or if the assignment is the same for everyone.
The Friday dinner break seems like a nice chance for visitors to try a local place. Accord has some good options, though people may want to plan ahead if everyone goes out at once.
Lunch being included on Friday helps a bit, especially if the off-site workshops start right after.
Yes, Friday lunch was included, with the off-site tours and workshops scheduled for afterward. Glad that made the day a little easier to plan!
Roller skating after a full day of presentations sounds either wonderful or exhausting. Glad they made it clear you can still go to the party without skating.
I'm curious who the speakers were this year. The mix of art, technology, and community organizing sounds good, but the actual lineup would make the difference for me.
A conference that wraps up before lunch on Saturday sounds manageable. That leaves time to walk around New Paltz instead of spending the whole weekend indoors.
I like the idea of taking the workshops out into Accord and New Paltz. It would be nice to know the options before being assigned one, though.
I would've liked to see the speaker list before deciding on a $350 ticket. The mix of art and community work does sound interesting.
Free Friday evening for dinner was smart. There are plenty of places around New Paltz worth trying.
I haven't been on roller skates in years. That Friday party alone sounds like it would've been a good time.
The student price is great, but asking people to email from a student address seems awkward for anyone whose school doesn't issue one.
That’s a fair point. The listed process asked students to email from a student address. Anyone without one could contact the organizers to ask about other options.
Starting check-in at 8 AM in Accord is a bit rough if you're coming from farther down the valley. At least lunch is covered once you get there.
Nice to see Accord hosting something like this. Skate Time doesn't usually come to mind as a conference venue.
Rob K.It was an unexpected choice, but kind of perfect for Accord. A lot less stiff than a hotel ballroom.
Wish attendees could pick their own Friday workshop instead of being assigned one. I'd want to know what I was getting before paying.
Alicia MorenoI wondered about that too. Even a list of possible workshops ahead of time would have helped me decide.
The small-group discussions on Saturday sound more useful to me than sitting through another whole day of speakers.
An 8 AM check-in in Accord means leaving pretty early from Kingston. Hope the coffee was ready.
Joanne MillerThat drive feels a lot longer before sunrise. I would have needed a second cup by the time the talks started.
The $75 artist ticket makes a lot more sense to me than the $350 regular price. I wonder how they decide who qualifies as an artist.
Skate Time is an interesting place for a conference. I like that the skating part is optional, because I would be there for the talks and leave the wheels to someone else.
Did anyone go on one of the New Paltz tours? I'm curious what they included.
I like that they made skating optional. Some of us would rather watch than end up on the floor.
$350 is steep for a Friday morning through Saturday before lunch. The $75 artist ticket makes a lot more sense to me.
Skate Time is a fun choice for a conference. I hope the skating party was as good as it sounds.