LevelUp 2026
Ideas for Thriving | Chicago, IL
July 8–11, 2026
Chicago, IL | July 8–11, 2026
Early–Bird Savings End February 15
Speakers
Additional speakers coming soon...
Program
Program details coming soon…
Schedule
Schedule details coming soon…
Frequently Asked Questions
LevelUp is for people who want to live free and flourish. The theme of the conference—the thread connecting all of the lectures—is that freedom and flourishing are consequences of certain ideas that were developed over thousands of years and are still being refined today. The conference will help you to better understand and act on these ideas, to thrive in your ventures and relationships, and to support liberty on solid ground. If those are your goals, this conference is for you.
A great way to meet other attendees is to join LevelUp on Facebook and WhatsApp. Simply click “Join,” say hi, and enjoy a warm welcome. You can meet other attendees, find roommates, ask questions, post suggestions, and discover fun things to do in the Chicago area.
Dress comfortably! We recommend business casual attire for the opening banquet and daily lectures, and cocktail attire for the closing banquet and dance.
Tickets for the opening and closing banquets (Wednesday and Saturday nights) can be purchased through LevelUp’s registration page.
Internet access for conference attendees is free throughout the hotel.
We do not plan to livestream the conference.
For international travelers, we recommend using Google Flights to find the most affordable and suitable flights.
The Westin Chicago River North is approximately 18 miles from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). We recommend allowing 45-60 minutes for travel by car or rideshare, especially during peak traffic hours.
You can also get there by taking the CTA Blue Line train from the airport to the Clark/Lake station, which takes approximately 45-50 minutes and is a short walk from the hotel.
Registration will remain open until the conference sells out. We encourage you to register and book your hotel room early, as space is limited.
If you register and, for any reason, are unable to attend the conference, LevelUp will refund your registration fees, including banquet tickets, in full. Simply email [email protected] with the subject line “Cancel LevelUp Registration,” and we will refund your registration fees in full.
For Active-Mind Scholarship recipients, please note that we will NOT reimburse you for unused travel tickets. We recommend that you purchase refundable travel tickets and/or appropriate cancellation insurance.
Early–Bird Savings End February 15
Pricing
Thank You, Atlases of LevelUp 2026!
We extend our deepest gratitude to the following individuals, who are sponsoring extremely low pricing for students and young adults to attend LevelUp 2026.
 Carl Barney |
Pete Masterson |
| Helen Basberg |
Doug Basberg |
To join these forward-thinking individuals in sponsoring youth attendance at LevelUp, register as an Atlas at the next conference, or make a donation today.
Student*
High school, college, or Praxis
Young Adult*
Age 29 and under
Adult*
Age 30+
Atlas**
Sponsors low pricing for young people
Thank You, Atlases of LevelUp 2026!
*Student, Young Adult, and Adult registration include access to all lectures and performances. (Children younger than 13 attend free with a parent.) Tickets to the opening and closing banquets are offered separately.
**Atlas registration includes access to all lectures and performances—as well as the opening and closing banquets. Atlases are also invited to a special dinner with Craig Biddle and other LevelUp speakers to discuss ideas for advancing rational philosophy in the culture. Early-bird pricing does not apply to Atlas tickets. If you are unable to attend the conference, you can register as a non-attending Atlas. To select this option, proceed through registration as an Atlas and enter the code JohnGalt in the “coupon” field. The code will reduce the price from $3500 to $2700 and register you as a non-attending Atlas. (Please note: All Atlases, attending and non-attending, will be listed and thanked here unless anonymity is requested.)