The Complete Guide to UFO & UAP Conferences
Home of UFOconferences.com. Your guide to public UFO events, speaker line-ups, and ticket info
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UFO / UAP Conferences FAQ
What are the biggest UFO conferences in 2026?
Two of the largest UFO conferences include Contact in the Desert held near Palm Springs, CA at the end of May and the MUFON International Symposium, held in the Cincinnati, OH area in August.
Contact in the Desert is billed as the “world’s largest UFO/UAP conference”. It features prominent speakers (e.g., Dr. Jacques Vallée, George Knapp), panels, intensives, and a large community vibe. This is widely regarded as the biggest dedicated UFO event.
The MUFON International Symposium is the flagship annual event of the Mutual UFO Network, focusing on scientific study of UAP with researchers, investigators, and societal implications. It draws a strong dedicated following and includes live streams and is also one of the largest events
If you prefer a much more science focused event, the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies (SCU) Annual Conference in July is billed as “the premier UAP event in 2026,” with a scientific and policy focus. This attracts scientists, engineers, and national security experts.
Are UFO conferences and conventions family-friendly?
Family friendly is the purview of the UFO Festivals and Fairs segment.
The UFO festivals and fairs are light weight and fun themed entertainment. Generally, you will find yourself walking both outdoors and inside venues taking in the entertainment and vendors and enjoying themed costumes that others may be wearing.
From there things get progressively more serious. The UFO Conferences segment generally consists of adults sitting in conference venues for presentations with breaks allowing for visits to vendor booths and to speak with the presenters.
UAP Symposiums and Educational Opportunities should, in general, be considered adult only events.
UFO conference tips for first-time attendees
People are generally friendly and happy to help. Remember, you have a common interest with everyone that is at this event, don’t be afraid to ask for help or to chat.
Look at the schedule in advance and know what you want to attend as there can be multiple talks going on at the same time. Some events can be crowded and in large event centers. Use the provided handouts and online materials to have some idea of where you need to go for your next talk or event.
What is the difference between a UFO festival, a UFO Conference and a UAP symposium?
There are a variety of options available on the UFO / UAP events schedule from the very serious to the just plain fun. There is also some crossover between the four types of events here on the schedule. We break out these events into 4 categories:
- UFO Conferences – For the enthusiast, This grouping generally draws speakers that fall into the categories of UFO researchers, podcasters, and authors.
- UAP Symposiums – Serious research and academic based gatherings
- UAP Educational Offerings – Good quality educational offerings from research-oriented organizations
- UFO Festivals and Fairs – light, UFO themed entertainment
Read about the four categories of UFO / UAP events here.
You will see some event with two categorizations. Some UFO festivals will have a panel of speakers on the topic. In this case, you will see the event listed as both a festival and a UFO Conference.
Likewise, some UFO Conferences, most notably Contact in the Desert, are beginning to attract the scientists, whistleblowers, and government insiders that qualify them for the UAP symposium category as well as the UFO Conferences category.
Do some UFO conferences stream online live?
We’ve got you covered on this one. Purely virtual events are marked “Virtual” in the location field.
When you click to see the page for an event, look for the Live or Virtual Event field. If you see the value Virtual or Both, you’re in luck, you can take in the event virtually.
Finally, some events will make their content available online after the end of the show either for free or for a fee. Keep an eye out for that option.
Best UFO conferences to attend for beginners
There are a few ways to tackle this. One is to find something close to where you live.
Another is to try attending a conference virtually for your first go around.
Third, is to try a simple approach like attending a UFO festival or fair that has experts giving talks as well. you can enjoy the fair, and ease into the conference scene by experiencing a few talks at a festival.
That said, the best conference for you is the one that suits your interests. If you are a scientist, academician or researcher, the UAP Symposium category is clearly for you. The Sol Foundation, Society for UAP Studies and Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies are your best bet.
