PEERPOCALYPSE 2026
Rooted & Rising: Honoring Our Past, Shaping the Future
13th Annual Conference · May 4-7, 2026 · In-Person & Virtual (Hybrid)
Seaside Civic and Convention Center · 415 1st Ave, Seaside, OR 97138
Peer Support · Mental Health · Addiction Recovery · Lived Experience · Wellness
Open to peer support specialists, people with lived experience, and allies. Registration required.
BOUT THE EVENT
Peerpocalypse 2026 — Rooted & Rising
Dates: Monday, May 4 – Thursday, May 7, 2026 (4-Day Conference)
Format: Hybrid — In-Person and Virtual
In-Person Venue: Seaside Civic and Convention Center · 415 1st Ave, Seaside, OR 97138
Virtual Platform: Whova App · Available on iOS, Android, and web browser
Sponsorship Deadline: April 1, 2026
Presented By: The Peer Company · Hosted by The Peer Company
Register: https://www.thepeercompany.org/peerpocalypse
Conference Website: https://www.thepeercompany.org/peerpocalypse
Seaside Convention Center: https://seasideconvention.com/
Peerpocalypse is a national convergence of peer leaders, emerging leaders, innovators, and peers who want to become more involved in the peer support community. The event adopts the philosophy that peers bring a great deal of knowledge and expertise — and that this knowledge should be shared for the betterment of the movement. Allies are welcome. Participants may encounter workshop topics that are edgy or uncomfortable. That’s okay — lean into the discomfort and learn.
This year’s theme, Rooted & Rising, honors where the peer movement has come from — its grassroots beginnings, its resilience, and the deep community connections that ground it. As the movement continues to grow, it carries those roots forward, using lived experience and collective wisdom to shape the future of peer support. Rooted & Rising invites everyone to celebrate how far the community has come and to reach higher together.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Four Days of Workshops, Keynotes, Networking, and Community
Peerpocalypse 2026 features dozens of workshops led by experts in peer support, mental health, and addiction recovery. Whether you are a peer support specialist seeking CEUs, someone with lived experience in mental illness or addiction, or an ally who wants to deepen their understanding, there is something for everyone. In-person attendees have access to keynote brunches, the Mad Hatter Dance, Peerpocalypse Got Talent, and networking opportunities throughout the convention center. Virtual attendees participate through the Whova app with live broadcasting of key events. All attendees receive access to workshop recordings for 30 days following the event.
CEUs Available: Yes — ideal for peer support professionals
Workshop Recordings: Available for 30 days post-event for all registered attendees
Who Should Attend: Peer support specialists, people with lived experience (mental health and/or addiction), allies, advocates, and anyone committed to advancing the peer movement
Whova App: Download the Whova app or access online for the full virtual experience
Whova: https://whova.com/
WHY PEERPOCALYPSE MATTERS
Supporting Peer-Led Services and the Peer Movement
Peerpocalypse exists because decisions about the peer community continue to be made without peers at the table. Too many members of the community are unemployed or underemployed. Members of the peer community die 25 years earlier than the general population. Nearly a quarter of people who are incarcerated experience mental health challenges, and approximately 50% meet criteria for substance use disorder. Addiction extends beyond substance use to include gambling and other process addictions, and too many community members live in poverty.
Peerpocalypse exists to remind the community there is hope, to awaken energy, to share what works, and to demonstrate that when peers come together, they can turn the way things are into the way they should be. Nothing reinforces community strength more than being in one place together.
CONFERENCE HISTORY
13 Years of Peer-Led Convergence
Peerpocalypse was launched by the Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon (MHAAO) as a mental health conference in 2013. In 2017, addiction was added as a core component, recognizing that many peers carry lived experience with both mental health and addiction. In 2019, the conference moved temporarily to Salem, Oregon. In 2020 and 2021, it pivoted to a fully virtual format due to COVID-19. In 2022, Peerpocalypse returned to Seaside, Oregon as the first hybrid conference, a format that continues today. The conference remains in Oregon to reduce costs to participants and to stay connected to its origins. The Peer Company now hosts the event.
VENUE & LOCATION
Seaside Civic and Convention Center · Seaside, Oregon
Address: 415 1st Ave, Seaside, OR 97138
Venue Features: Two-floor convention center with multiple session rooms
Lodging: Hotels located across the street and within a few blocks. Discounted lodging options available — see the Peerpocalypse Participate page.
Nearby: Beautiful Oregon coast beach within walking distance
Convention Center Info: https://seasideconvention.com/
Conference Lodging Info: https://www.thepeercompany.org/peerpocalypse
SPONSORSHIP & EXHIBITOR OPPORTUNITIES · DEADLINE: APRIL 1, 2026
Support the Peer Movement — Become a Peerpocalypse Sponsor
Sponsoring Peerpocalypse means investing in the future of recovery and peer support. Your support helps equip peer support workers with the resources and community they need to make a lasting impact. Customized sponsorship packages are available. Contact Tarra McCarthy, Director of Development and Community Engagement, for more information.
Contact: Tarra McCarthy, Director of Development and Community Engagement
Phone: (503) 730-5963
Email: [email protected]
Sponsorship Deadline: April 1, 2026
Sponsorship Packages:
$10,000 — Shaping the Future Sponsor: 5-min video ad during Opening Ceremony, exhibitor table, 2 complementary registrations, still-ad during keynote, logo in digital program and all digital displays, reserved front row table.
$5,000 — Honoring the Past Sponsor: Exhibitor table, 1 complementary registration, still-ad during keynote, logo in digital program and all digital displays, reserved front row table.
$3,000 — Rising Sponsor: Exhibitor table, still-ad during keynote, logo in digital program, special mention during opening ceremony.
$2,000 — Rooted Sponsor: Still-ad during keynote, logo in digital program, special mention during opening ceremony.
$1,000 — Connecting Sponsor: Logo inclusion in digital program, special mention during opening ceremony.
Exclusive Event Sponsorships:
$5,000 — Opening Keynote Brunch: Over 700 in-person + virtual attendees. Reserved table for 10, video ad or still-ad on rotation, opportunity for opening remarks.
$2,000 — Mad Hatter Dance: Over 300 in-person + virtual attendees. Custom logo frame for photobooth.
$1,000 — Peerpocalypse Got Talent: Over 200 in-person + virtual attendees. 3 special mentions during the evening, reserved row at front of stage.
$500 — Virtual Keynote: 400-1,200+ in-person and virtual attendees. Logo on display during keynote. 4 keynote events available for sponsorship.
Exhibitor Opportunities:
$2,000 — Table & 2 Registrations: Exhibitor table plus two full conference registrations.
$1,000 — Table & 1 Registration: Exhibitor table plus one full conference registration.
$500 — Exhibitor Table Only: Exhibitor table at the conference.
$250 — Exhibitor Table Only (Peer-Run Nonprofit Rate): Discounted exhibitor table for peer-run nonprofit organizations.
KEY RESOURCES
Peerpocalypse 2026 — Register & Info: https://www.thepeercompany.org/peerpocalypse
The Peer Company: https://www.thepeercompany.org
Whova Conference App: https://whova.com/
Seaside Civic and Convention Center: https://seasideconvention.com/
Sponsorship Inquiries — Tarra McCarthy: mailto:[email protected]
DISCLAIMER
Information is shared as a courtesy without guarantees or warranties of any kind.
Nothing here shall substitute for professional, legal, or medical advice. Seek qualified professionals at your own risk.
Event details, registration fees, and schedules are subject to change. Verify directly with The Peer Company before registering.
If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. For mental health or substance use crises, call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline).