Explore the Program
PLACES 2025 will be hosted in Gig Harbor on October 8-10, 2025. As we bring PLACES to Gig Harbor for the first time ever in collaboration with the Gig Harbor Waterfront Alliance, we’re excited to feature the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area throughout the conference.
PLACES is Washington’s annual statewide conference focused on the continued care of place through historic preservation, placemaking, and economic vitality, brought to you by the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation and the Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation. The PLACES Conference allows preservationists, planners, downtown development professionals, and anyone who cares about place to dive deep into creative ideas, build their network, and inspire new solutions.
Schedule at a Glance
Get ready for a jam-packed week! From classroom sessions to mobile tours to celebrating this year’s Excellence on Main recipients, join us for three days of learning, networking, and inspiration. Learn more about what our time together will look like below.
Venues will be announced soon. In the meantime, note that we’ll have shuttles running throughout Gig Harbor to make getting to venues easy, no matter where you stay. Our hotel shuttle will run from the Best Western Wesley Inn & Suites to downtown. There is a park and ride across the street, so if you’re staying elsewhere, you can leave your car and still catch the shuttle.
Tuesday, October 7
| 6:00-8:30 pm | Early Registration and Pier into the Night Event |
Wednesday, October 8
| 10:00-11:30 am | Opening Plenary & Keynote Address |
| 1:30-4:00 pm | Classroom Sessions + Mobile Tours |
| 5:00-7:00 pm | Welcome Block Party |
Thursday, October 9
| 9:00 am – 12:00 pm | Classroom Sessions + Mobile Tours |
| 1:30-4:30 pm | Classroom Sessions + Mobile Tours |
| 5:30-8:00 pm | Excellence on Main |
Friday, October 10
| 9:00 am-12:00 pm | Classroom Sessions + Mobile Tours |
| 1:30-2:30 pm | Classroom Sessions |
| 2:30-4:00 pm | Closing Party |
| 5:30-7:00 pm | Annual Members Meeting |
Excited to join us? Register for PLACES 2025 today!
Conference T-Shirts
Be sure to order your PLACES 2025 t-shirt! For the first time in PLACES history, we are pleased to offer conference t-shirts commemorating PLACES 2025. These t-shirts are being printed by a local business in Gig Harbor, so your purchase supports both the PLACES conference and a Gig Harbor small business.
Orders can be placed on our registration page. T-shirts are unisex. Find your size using this sizing guide.
Preliminary Session Guide
Explore the sessions offered at this year’s PLACES! Please note that this preliminary guide is not comprehensive and is subject to change.
Meet the Speakers
We have a slew of excellent speakers joining us this year! Learn more about this year’s speakers below:
More for PLACES 2025
