Everything You Need to Know About PyCon US 2026
Welcome to PyCon US 2026! From May 14–17 in Long Beach, California, this annual gathering of the Python community will feature Microsoft, GitHub, and Meta showcasing their latest tools and services. Whether you're interested in AI, databases, or developer productivity, there's something for everyone. Below, we answer your most pressing questions about the event, from booth activities to deep technical talks.
When and where is PyCon US 2026?
PyCon US 2026 takes place from May 14–17 in the vibrant city of Long Beach, California. The event kicks off on Thursday, May 14, and runs through Sunday, May 17. On Wednesday, May 13, there is a full day of workshops and sponsor sessions, including a hands-on tutorial on building a Python-based MCP server. All sessions are held at the Long Beach Convention Center. Plan your travel and accommodation early to make the most of this community-driven conference.
What can I expect at the Microsoft and GitHub booth?
Stop by the Microsoft and GitHub booth to say hello and share your experiences with their tools and services. The booth will feature 10-minute hands-on interactive labs covering several exciting technologies: GitHub Copilot, Azure DocumentDB, Microsoft Foundry, Microsoft Agent Framework, Azure PostgreSQL, and Azure AI Search. These quick demonstrations let you try out new features and get expert guidance on integrating these tools into your Python workflows. Don't miss the chance to grab some swag and connect with the engineering teams.
What is the Meta Pylance and Pyrefly integration announcement?
On Saturday, May 17 at 1:00 p.m., join Meta at their booth for a special demonstration of the integration between Pylance (Microsoft’s Python language server) and Meta’s new Pyrefly type checker. This collaboration aims to bring faster and more accurate type checking to Python developers. The integration is currently available as an early preview in the Pylance Insiders build. The team plans to roll it out to all users later in 2026. This is a must-see for anyone interested in Python static analysis and tooling interoperability.
What talks and sessions are being offered by Microsoft and guest speakers?
There is a packed schedule of talks and workshops from Wednesday to Sunday. Here's a quick overview:
- Wed, May 13, 9:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Room 101A: Build your first MCP server in Python with Pamela Fox.
- Wed, May 13, 1:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m., Room 201B: Dungeons and Databases: Build NPC agents to work with data in DocumentDB and Postgres (Microsoft Sponsor session) by Marko Hotti and Patty Chow.
- Thu, May 14, 2:40 p.m.–3:05 p.m., Room 104C: Education Summit talk Big Lessons from Small Models, Teaching Python AI with SLMs by Gwyneth Peña-Siguenza.
- Thu, May 14, 3:40 p.m.–4:05 p.m., Room 104C: Education Summit talk Your Slides, But Faster, Building an AI-powered presentation workflow by Pamela Fox.
- Fri, May 15, 3:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m., Room 104C: PyCharlas: Cómo pasé de perdida a enseñar Python + IA a miles, en un año by Gwyneth Peña-Siguenza.
- Sat, May 16, 2:30 p.m.–3:45 p.m., Room 201A: Maintainer Summit Tools Track: Dev Containers by Sarah Kaiser.
- Sun, May 17, 1:00 p.m.–1:30 p.m., Grand Ballroom A: A bridge over (not) troubled waters: Collecting marine data from your couch by Sarah Kaiser.
Are there any Spanish-language sessions or education-focused talks?
Yes! On Friday, May 15 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Room 104C, Gwyneth Peña-Siguenza will present PyCharlas: “Cómo pasé de perdida a enseñar Python + IA a miles, en un año”. This session, delivered in Spanish, shares her journey from feeling overwhelmed to teaching Python and AI to thousands of students in just one year. It's part of the PyCharlas track designed to serve the Spanish-speaking Python community. Additionally, on Thursday, May 14, there are two Education Summit sessions in Room 104C covering AI teaching tools and slides creation.
How can I prepare or get the most out of PyCon US 2026?
To maximize your experience, review the full schedule and plan your day around sessions that match your interests. Arrive early on Wednesday for the workshop and sponsor session. Bring a laptop for the interactive labs at the Microsoft/GitHub booth—each is only 10 minutes, so you can try multiple. If you use Visual Studio Code or the Pylance extension, update to the Insiders build before the Meta demo on Saturday to try the Pyrefly integration. Jump to the Meta integration section for more details. Finally, don’t forget to network with other attendees and speakers—the community is what makes PyCon special!