Local
FFA convention expects 70,000-plus visitors as Indianapolis commits to hosting through 2040
The National FFA Convention & Expo is bringing more than 70,000 people to Indianapolis this week, with organizers projecting growing crowds and an estimated $40 million in annual economic impact. A recently extended agreement keeps the convention in the city through 2040, as downtown expands its hotel and convention capacity.
More than 70,000 students, educators and other visitors are expected in Indianapolis for the 99th National FFA Convention & Expo, a four-day gathering that organizers say generates about $40 million annually for the city’s economy.
The convention runs through Saturday at venues including the Indiana Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium, Gainbridge Fieldhouse and the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Its schedule includes competitions, speeches, workshops, a career expo and community service projects. The gathering will conclude with the election of new national FFA officers.
The National FFA Organization has extended its agreement to hold the convention in Indianapolis through 2040, adding seven years to its previous deal. Attendance topped 73,000 in 2025, up from the mid-50,000s during the convention’s early years in the city. Organizers say the event uses more than 100 hotels.
The organization’s national headquarters moved to Indianapolis in 1998. After holding its first convention in Kansas City in 1928, FFA held the event in Louisville from 1999 to 2005, then returned there for three years before resuming in-person gatherings in Indianapolis in 2016.
The convention’s future growth was a factor in the decision to stay, CEO Scott Stump said. National FFA considered Indianapolis and Atlanta when choosing a host for 2025-31, and sought additional hotel capacity ahead of its centennial in 2028. Preliminary projections put attendance for that convention at 75,000 to 85,000, Stump said.
Indianapolis’ convention center expansion and the developing Signia Hilton hotel were important to the organization’s decision, he said. The additional space is expected to give the convention more room to accommodate larger crowds.
The event also connects students with agricultural careers beyond farming. Thousands are visiting employers including Elanco, Corteva and Beck’s to learn about fields such as animal health and plant genetics. FFA changed its name from Future Farmers of America in 1988 to reflect the broader range of careers represented in the organization.
About 3,000 FFA members are expected to volunteer nearly 24,000 hours at 29 local nonprofits, Stump said. He said the convention can also help students become familiar with Indianapolis as a place to study, work or live.
The first national FFA convention drew 33 delegates from 18 states. This year’s expected turnout underscores how substantially the event has grown—and how much downtown’s hotels, venues and local organizations are being asked to accommodate.