NOAC 2020

National Order of the Arrow Conference

August 3-8 Michigan State University

The National Order of the Arrow Committee is pleased to announce that the 2020 National Order of the Arrow Conference will be held at Michigan State University from August 3-8, 2020, in East Lansing, MI. MSU is home to three past NOACs, including 2006, 2012, and the 2015 centennial conference. See you at MSU in 2020!

What is NOAC?

The National Order of the Arrow Conference, or NOAC, is a weeklong gathering of members of the Order of the Arrow, typically held every other year in early August on a college campus. In 2020, NOAC will be August 3-8, 2020, at Michigan State University. Over 8,000 Arrowmen from all 50 states attend NOAC, making it the second-largest event in Scouting. NOAC consists of both training and fellowship and is the pinnacle of events in the Order of the Arrow.

Why should I go?

NOAC offers a plethora of activities and program for delegates, including but not limited to:

Activities, Recreation, and Competitions

Similar to a Section Conclave, every day at NOAC is stocked full of activities. From scuba diving to escape rooms to meet-and-greets, there is truly something for everyone. Every afternoon at NOAC, a large variety of competitions are held around campus. From volleyball to swimming to running, grab a team (or yourself) and come compete!

Training

NOAC offers every training opportunity from how to run a fellowship to sustainability to empowering a team, and more! Training takes place in the morning all across campus, with some specialized tracks. Don’t forget to sign up when program registration opens up on April 1!

Shows

On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday evening, the entire conference gathers for the evening show. The shows have many elements and themes, with presentations of awards and speeches as well. It is always a fun time for all!

Inductions Ceremonial Events

Polestar, a new national inductions training initiative, will debut at NOAC 2020. Sections will send a trio of delegates (2 youth, 1 adviser) to participate in the two-day training, aimed at improving lodge inductions. Additionally, many other ICE training and activities will be offered throughout the week!

Conference Festival

On Friday, the entire conference will gather at Adventure Central for a day of fun, food, and fellowship! Lodges will set up tents where they showcase what their lodge does best. It is a spectacle you will not want to miss!

Patch Trading

Have patches? Bring them to NOAC! There is a building at the conference exclusively dedicated to trading patches. Lodge Flaps, CSP’s, Conclave Patches, you name it!

And More!

Also at NOAC, you will get to meet and interact with Arrowmen from around the country, all while experiencing one of the best events in Scouting! There truly is something for everyone at the National Order of the Arrow Conference!

How do I register?

Delegates

Registration for Delegates is handled through lodges. Contact your local lodge leadership for more about this. Many lodge contingents plan activities for the days prior to and after the conference, so the cost varies.

Staff

Have you been to NOAC before and want to help other Arrowmen has an amazing expeirence? Then Step Up, Step Forward and sign up for staff! Members of the NOAC staff pay their own transportation to the conference but may travel with their lodge contingent. At the conference, they are housed with the conference staff and work in an assigned support role to help make the national conference a successful and enjoyable event for all Arrowmen. A plethora of staff positions are open across multiple committees, but they’re filling up quickly! If you’re interested in joining NOAC staff, register at https://registration.oa-bsa.org. Want to learn more about being on staff? Go to https://oa-bsa.org/article/join-2020-noac-staff.

Remote Delegates

Can’t make it to Michigan State next August? You can still enjoy the NOAC experience at home! Sign up for the remote delegate program! Remote delegates can experience training, shows, activities, and more! Additionally, the cost of attending the conference as a remote delegate is only $80, and a remote-delegate exclusive patch is included! Sign up at https://registration.oa-bsa.org.

We look forward to seeing you Step Up, Step Forward at the 2020 National Order of the Arrow Conference!

Conference Information

NOAC 2020 Changes

We no longer have quotas to attend the 2020 NOAC, but we suggest a 3:1 youth/adult ratio. There is plenty of room for all to attend regardless of being a youth or an adult. We are also prepared to host female and male youth program participants.

Contingent Leaders

Each council will be led by a youth and adult contingent leader. The adult contingent leader will be the primary point of contact for the conference and may or may not be the lodge adviser. Each council should consider appointing their adult contingent leader as soon as possible and no later than October 1, 2019, when the registration process begins.

Contingent Reservation Information

The Order of the Arrow has published a document to provide contingents with the information they need to register for the 2020 NOAC.

Download the Contingent Reservation Information guide here.

NOAC Callouts

As the 2020 NOAC approaches, the marketing team is using a series of emails called Callouts to help lodge leadership prepare for the event. Past Callouts can be found below.

NOAC 2020 Callout #1

NOAC 2020 Callout #2

NOAC 2020 Callout #3 (the information on this page is the same as that provided in Callout #3)