Late October 2026 MAPACA Newsletter
This is the Late October 2026 MAPACA Newsletter. Our next Annual Conference is November 5-7 in Baltimore, MD.
In this newsletter, we have:
2026 Annual Conference news - Directions, day passes and events information, including the DIA with André De Shields
Conference schedule information
BYOL (bring your own lanyard)
Seasonal illnesses
Donations
Important dates
2026 MAPACA Annual Conference news - Directions, day passes and events information, including the DIA with André De Shields
Mid-Atlantic Popular & American Culture Association (MAPACA)
2026 Annual Conference
November 5-7, 2026
Lord Baltimore Hotel, Baltimore, MD.
Finding your way to the conference
The Lord Baltimore hotel is located at 20 West Baltimore Street in Baltimore, MD
By Car
The hotel currently offers paid valet parking with unlimited in-and-out privileges. The closest public self-parking garage is a short walk at 100 W. Fayette Street.
By Train
Amtrak runs to Baltimore Penn Station, about 1 mile from the Lord Baltimore Hotel.
By Airplane
Flights arrive at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI).
From BWI, you can take a 20-30 minute rideshare or taxi ride directly to the hotel. There is also MTA Light Rail service between BWI and downtown Baltimore.
Day passes
Single-day passes (for non-presenting attendees only) are available and include all events on that day.
Prices are:
$75 for Thursday, including the Awards Reception
$95 for Friday, including the Divine Impact Award and reception with André De Shields
$70 for Saturday, including the Crash Course! with refreshments
Events
2026 Awards Reception - Thursday, November 5, 6:30 – 8:00pm
Join us as we present the Lorance Award, Donald Award, and Walden Prize at the Awards Reception on Thursday, November 5, from 6:30-8.
Celebrate our award winners and enjoy a reception and cash bar.
Divine Impact Award Speaker and Reception with André De Shields - Friday, November 6, 6 - 8:30
We are excited to announce that the 2026 Divine Impact Award (DIA) winner is André De Shields! Conference attendees can join us at the Divine Impact Award Speaker and Reception on Friday, November 6, 6:00 – 8:30pm in the Calvert Ballroom to honor André De Shields.
Bio
“At eighty Earth years, André De Shields has distinguished himself as an unparalleled actor/activist, educator, iconic philanthropist and Broadway Deity. As Actor, Mr. De Shields’ mission is to fill intimate spaces with enormous beauty. He defines intimate spaces as the hearts of humanity. As Activist, he endeavors to restore majesty, elegance and literacy to the Black Thespian’s toolbox, to advocate for long term survivors of HIV and AIDS, and to champion the legacy of the Wellderly (elderly individuals who continue to kick butt). His idiosyncratic career has resulted in a treasure trove of accolades, among them an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he has founded The André De Shields Fund. His other markers of esteem include being declared the triple crown winner of the 2019 awards season, having garnered Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Grammy Awards for his universally acclaimed role in HADESTOWN as Hermes, messenger to the gods.
Perennially renowned for his show-stopping performances in five legendary Broadway productions –THE WIZ (title role), AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ (Emmy Award), PLAY ON! (Tony nom), THE FULL MONTY (Tony nom) and his portrayal of Old Deuteronomy in the radically re-imagined CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL. He rang the closing bell for the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in June as part of The “Ring the Bell for LGBTQI+ Equality” Initiative. Mr. De Shields reigned as The Grand Marshal of the 51st Greenwich Village Halloween Parade, achieving the sui generis reputation as one of the ten wonders of New York City. SAWUBONA!” www.goatman.vip
Crash Course! - Saturday, November 7, 12:15 – 1:45pm
The high-density Crash Course! features 5-minute micro-presentations about current popular culture topics. Always a conference favorite! The Crash Course! is in the Baltimore Theater (Mezzanine Level), and Crashetizers (ample lunchtime snack choices) will be served!
Graduate Student Gathering - Saturday, November 7, 4:45 - 6:45
Calling all graduate students! The Graduate Student Gathering is a relaxed meet-up with your fellow graduate students. Light refreshments will be served in the Artist Crown Room (Penthouse Floor).
Conference schedule information
MAPACA Conference schedule
You can view the schedule for the 2026 Annual Conference by day and by area. Use your browser's search function (ctrl + F on Windows or cmd + F on Mac) to search.
There is also a “Presentations” tab, which includes both current and past presentations, along with their corresponding times and locations. To view this, log in to your account at MAPACA.net and look for the “Presentations” tab at the top.
BYOL (bring your own lanyard)
Bring your favorite lanyard to use at the conference. Not only will your lanyard and badge holder help reduce waste, but it will also be a stylish fashion accessory and conversation starter! Also, we will have spots to recycle your badge holders at the end of the conference.
Seasonal illnesses
We look forward to welcoming you #MAPACA2026 this November. Before the conference, consider getting a vaccine or booster for COVID-19 or other seasonal diseases, such as the flu and RSV. Staying up to date with vaccines, in line with public health guidance and your doctor's recommendations, further supports our community.
We will have masks and hand sanitizer available at the conference. We encourage you to use these resources to help protect yourself and our community members, especially our immunocompromised colleagues.
Finally, we are asking you to do your part in contributing to the health and well-being of your fellow MAPACA attendees. If you feel like you have a cold coming on, your allergies are really hitting you hard, or you feel otherwise symptomatic, test, don’t guess, or stay at home to help protect the community.
Donations
Did you know that you can make tax-deductible donations to MAPACA? While all MAPACA Board members, Area Chairs, and the Response staff are volunteers, there are a lot of expenses involved with running our Annual Conference, Summer Virtual Symposium, and Response, our open-access journal.
To donate, please visit https://mapaca.net/donation
Important Dates
November 5-7: 2026 MAPACA Annual Conference in Baltimore, MD
