New to AANA? New to Annual Congress? Join us to connect with other first-timers and build your AANA community! Light refreshments will be served.

Tickets: $85 per person (tickets include 2 drink tickets to the Honors Reception)

The AANA Honors reception brings members together for a high-energy night packed with music, personal stories, and professional pride. The evening starts with a lively cocktail reception, continues with the presentation of AANA’s most prestigious awards, and rolls into an afterparty with drinks and appetizers. Mingle with nurse anesthesiology luminaries and be inspired in your own work by their career accomplishments.

Calling all residents! Join us for morning coffee and pastries hosted by the AANA Education Committee. Residents will have the opportunity to hear speeches and vote for the Education Committee Resident Representative and hear from members of the AANA and AANA Foundation executive teams. The Education Committee will also announce the winners of the Resident Writing Contest and Resident Excellence Award.

All residents will be required to have their attendee badge for entry to the session (no pre-registration required).

Cheer on nurse anesthesiology innovators as they pitch their unique ideas on our profession’s largest stage. The Rm8 iNoV8 Pitch Competition gives CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists, nurse anesthesia residents, RNs and APRNs a chance to build their business with Rm8, AANA’s innovation lab. Five entrepreneurs will go head-to-head for the $15,000 prize with original concepts that enhance patient safety, patient outcomes, or provider experience.

Want to compete? Submit your application by Friday, May 1, 2026, at noon CT.

Howl at the Moon – 184 High St., Boston, MA
Tickets: CRNAs $250; RRNAs $125; RRNAs after 9 p.m. $25 (After 9 p.m. ticket does not include dinner or drinks; cash bar available)

Enjoy great food and drinks, dueling pianos, and interactive entertainment—including opportunities to sing along with the band—while celebrating 45 years of nurse anesthesiology research and education! Come for the music. Stay for the mission.

Add a ticket to this fundraising event for $250/CRNA; $125/RRNA; or $25/RRNA after 9 p.m. when you register to attend live in Boston.

Round 1 supported by Main Street Anesthesia
Round 2 supported by MedPro
Round 5 supported by U.S. Army

Join us for the 37th anniversary of the Anesthesia College Bowl, live at Annual Congress 2026. Six teams of residents play each other, answering questions about anesthesia that have been submitted by nurse anesthesia program directors. The winning resident team faces off against a team of six CRNA/nurse anesthesiologists to determine the ultimate winner of the College Bowl.

How to participate 

• Program administrators can nominate outstanding residents for a team. 
• CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists are invited to apply for the CRNA Challenge Team.

All College Bowl applications and nominations are due April 1. 

To help maintain a pleasant experience for all attendees, no noisemakers, balloons or confetti will be permitted at any Annual Congress event, as they result in additional venue cleanup fees. 

Hosted by Envision Healthcare

Following the 37th Annual Anesthesia College Bowl, join our reception hosted Envision Healthcare. Visit the Envision booth in the Exhibit Hall to receive an exclusive wristband for “no-wait” access to the reception. Space is limited.

The 2026 AANA Business Meeting will be held as a hybrid event with both in-person and online participation. A quorum of 200 people representing 25 states is required to conduct the Business Meeting. The meeting will be livestreamed for residents and other non-voting members not in attendance. The link for viewing will be available on the day of the event. 

Further details about the August Business Meeting content and how to participate in the hybrid event will be available in early August.

120 seats available | Save your seat

Collaborate with nurse innovator and Hackathon host Rebecca Love, RN, MSN, FIEL, alongside former AANA president and Beyond the Mask podcast host Sharon Pearce, DNP, CRNA, FAANA, FAAN, and a team of expert CRNA/nurse anesthesiologist mentors. This exclusive event brings participants together to collaborate, compete, and create real-world solutions.

Ideal participants are passionate, solution-driven clinicians energized by innovation, collaboration, and fresh ideas. No technology or entrepreneurial experience is required — just curiosity and a creative mindset. This team-based, high-energy event is free to attend, but space is limited. Only 120 seats are available – complete this form to save your seat.

The Hackathon is open to all Congress registrants, including CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists, nurse anesthesiology residents, and RN-APRNs. Teams will assemble and begin developing solutions at 1:30 p.m. (ET), with final pitches beginning around 3:30 p.m. (ET). Check your AANA Meetings mobile app notifications onsite for final start time.

During the Hackathon, teams will develop and pitch solutions to one of four challenges:

• How might CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists lead innovations that improve rural access to care and anesthesia delivery?  
• How might CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists lead innovations that support maternal care and safety, particularly among diverse populations?  
• How might CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists lead the implementation of novel solutions to environmental sustainability in clinical practice?  
• How can CRNA/nurse anesthesiologist educators engage with residents to introduce new learning technologies and innovations?

Just curious? Stop by at 3:30 p.m. ET and watch the innovation unfold. Seating will be available for attendees who want to observe team collaboration and pitch presentation, and vote for their favorite solution!

Included in AANA registration or guest tickets required – Badge required for entry

Have a ball: Annual Congress attendees know that when AANA throws our Party With a Purpose, we knock it out of the park. But this year, we’re knocking PWAP into a park… specifically, Fenway Ball Park! Get special access to the historic home field of the Boston Red Sox as you enjoy amazing food, drinks, and music — and a few surprises that you won’t want to miss. 

Your Annual Congress attendee badge will be required for entry into the venues. You must purchase guest tickets during meeting registration or onsite at the Registration Desk prior to the event. Tickets will not be available for purchase at Fenway.

Our event will benefit Room to Grow. They provide parents and caregivers with essential baby and toddler items, strategies and support to promote their children’s development, and connections to community resources that can meaningfully expand their support network.

Bring one or more requested items from the list below to the Registration Desk (in the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center), and an AANA staff member will exchange them for up to two drink tickets to use at the reception. A QR code will be available onsite for those who choose to make a monetary donation instead.

Drink tickets will be available and donations will be accepted at the Registration Desk until Monday, Aug. 24 at 4 p.m. (ET). Donations will not be accepted at Fenway due to security restrictions.

Donation items (baby and toddler items only)
Toys and Books (Newborn – Age 3) | Feeding Supplies- Bottles, Toddler cups/dishes | Baby wipes | Baby shampoo/conditioner | Diaper Cream | Baby lotion | Toddler toothbrushes/toothpaste| Teethers | New Stuffed Animals | Swaddles/blankets | Outlet Covers/door safety locks 

Shuttle service 

Shuttle buses will run on a rotating schedule from outside the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center to Fenway beginning at 5:30 p.m., with the last shuttle service leaving Fenway at 9 p.m.

Collect stamps from participating exhibitors to complete your color-coded passport (found in your registration bag). Be the first to submit your completed passport of your assigned color at AANA Connect in the Exhibit Hall for a chance to win a prize! 

All Annual Congress attendees are welcome to participate.