All registrations must be completed - including uploaded materials - by April 2 in order to be able to participate at the event. Registration instructions will be available when Student Registration opens on January 29, 2026.

The 2026 North / Central California Invention Convention is scheduled for April 18, 2026  at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento.  

‍Eligible students are nominated to the event by their teachers and program leaders.  Although Independent Inventors are welcome,  that category is intended for students that reside in areas that do not have any invention programs.

‍Each inventor or team must have an actual invention - either a prototype or a working invention.  Just a good idea is not enough for this convention - there needs to be an invention and an inventing process to back it up. As part of the registration, students must submit:
- A picture of the student (profile picture)
- 1-6 pictures of the invention or the student with the invention.
- A PDF of the Invention Log or Journal
- A 4-6 minute video

Judges will be reviewing student materials the week prior to the event.
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On April 18th, the judges will meet with the inventors at the California State Railroad Museum, review the Invention, Invention Log and Display Board, and listen to the inventor (or invention team) present their invention. The scoring is done after those meetings.   Winners will be announced at our virtual Awards Ceremony on April 24th, 2026 and results will be posted on our web site shortly thereafter.

All students must be registered and materials uploaded through the registration system no later than April 2, 2026 in order to participate in  the 2026 Northern / Central Region California Invention Convention. All inventions must conform to our Requirements and Restrictions.

‍Students should be from schools that have registered for this convention. If you are an Independent Inventor and /or your school is not registered, please contact us.

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