17th Gathering 4 Gardner Conference (2028)
From February 23rd to 27th, 2028 at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco (5 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA 94111), G4G participants will assemble, in Martin Gardner’s name, to celebrate recreational mathematics, magic, puzzles, skepticism, science, art, literature, and the intersections of these subjects. Participants will offer presentations, performances, original papers, and exhibits. Countless exchanges of ideas and examples of magic will inspire and delight. Unlike many other conferences, G4G is participatory in nature; all attendees are encouraged to contribute, whether that be a 5-minute presentation, an original paper, a unique exhibit, or a novelty item for the gift exchange.
Quick Links:
- Conference Registration – Registration will be open closer to the event.
- Featured Presenters – TBD
- What, When, Where – Information about the conference
- 4 Days of Presentations – Held in the Hyatt Regency San Francisco
- Hands-on Activities – Social event with sculpture-building
- Events & Entertainment – TBD
- Gift Exchange – Participants exchange Gardner-inspired gifts
- Sales & Exhibit Rooms – Sign up to share your passions
- Conference Venue – Hyatt Regency San Francisco (5 Embarcadero Ctr)
- Apply to Attend – Apply for an invitation to G4G17!
- G4G16 Logo – Designed by TBD
- Code of Conduct
- G4G17 Program
Conference Registration
Registration for G4G17 is not open yet. Please watch your email for important announcements coming soon.
All past attendees and approved applicants will receive an official invitation via email. If you expected an invitation and didn’t receive one, please check your SPAM folder. Email support@g4gfoundation.org if you need further assistance.
Featured Presenters
Featured Presenters will give a longer-format talk as part of the regular programming of the conference. More information will be provided closer to the conference.
G4G16 What, When, Where
- WHAT:
The 16th Gathering 4 Gardner Conference (G4G17) - WHEN:
February 23 – 27, 2026
Wednesday through Sunday - WHERE:
Hyatt Regency San Francisco
5 Embarcadero Center
San Francisco, California 94111 USA - Who usually attends?
Our participants include professional and amateur mathematicians, magicians and other performers, artists, educators, scientists, and anyone who is inspired by the same interdisciplinary curiosity that excited our namesake, Martin Gardner. Attendance for G4G17 is capped at 400 individuals. - How much does the conference cost?
Registration is $695 with add-ons available for dinners and performances. The registration fee covers four days of presentations in the Hyatt Regency’s grand ballroom and the traditional Hands-on Activities social and sculpture-building event. Registration does NOT cover food or lodging. - What was the previous event like?
View some of the presentations and Exchange Gifts from past events: - How can I attend?
G4G17 is an invitation-only conference; however, you can apply for attendance. If you are interested, please fill out the application form and explain your passion for Martin Gardner’s legacy or any of his favorite topics. We will be reviewing applications weekly and will let you know if you are accepted. - When does registration open?
Stay tuned for information about G4G17 registration. - Other questions?
For all other questions about G4Gn, please contact support@g4gfoundation.org or visit the Frequently Asked Questions.
Four Days of Presentations
G4G offers opportunities for participants to share their passions and discoveries. The core of the conference consists of 4 days of brief presentations (generally 5 to 6 minutes).
PLEASE NOTE:
There are no presentations on the afternoon of the Saturday Hands-on Activities social event, which all attendees may participate in as part of their conference registration.
Hands-on Activities
On Saturday, we will take a break from talks and spend the afternoon doing Hands-on Activities including building mathematical sculptures.
The traditional “offsite” outdoor event has been moved to the Hyatt’s grand ballroom. As such, this event has been merged with the main conference registration and will NOT require a separate ticket.
All conference attendees and guests may participate in the Hands-on Activities!
Events & Entertainments
Conference events are opportunities to connect and meet other attendees.
Click here to see the G4G16 schedule of events: G4G16 SCHEDULE
Gift Exchange
Traditionally, every Gathering conference includes a Gift Exchange in which attendees swap puzzles, magic tricks, artwork, papers, novelty items, books, etc. Participants in the exchange must submit an item for the physical Exchange Bag or a paper for the G4G archive. If you’re looking for inspiration, think of the exchange as a collection of items Martin Gardner might find intriguing.
Everyone who participates in the Exchange will receive a G4G17 Exchange Bag.
It is optional to bring printed copies of your paper for inclusion in the gift bag at the conference. We will combine all printed items into a G4G17 branded folder for each Exchange Bag. This folder will be in lieu of printing a physical book. After the conference, papers and physical item photos will be made available online via the G4G website and our online archive (with author permission).
To participate in the exchange, a Google signup form will be sent out with the invitation email when conference registration opens.
To learn more about the Gift Exchange, click below:
Sales Room & Exhibits Room
At G4G17, attendees will have the option of setting up a table in the Sales Room and / or the Exhibits Room.
Sales Room: If you are a vendor and wish to sell items to other G4G attendees (examples: books, sculptures, puzzles, mathy toys, etc.) consider reserving a Sales Table. Only attendees who have registered for a Sales Table will be permitted to sell their inventory at the conference.
Exhibits Room: If you have something special to share with the G4G community that is either too large or complex to be reproduced for the gift exchange, consider reserving an Exhibit Table. Past exhibit examples include: surprising 3D-printed objects, physics demonstrations, kinetic sculptures, historical collections, and special edition books, toys, and games.
For both the Sales and Exhibit Room, space is limited and tables are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Conference Venue:
Hyatt Regency San Francisco (5 Embarcadero Center)
The G4G17 conference will be hosted in the grand ballroom at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco (5 Embarcadero Center). We have discount block pricing for our attendees. To take advantage of these rates, look for the link in your invitation email or call 1-415-788-1234 and let the Hyatt know you are with “Gathering 4 Gardner”.
Please Note: We strongly encourage G4G17 attendees to take advantage of our Hyatt hotel room block. G4G makes every effort to keep participants’ expenses as low as possible, and a lot of effort goes into negotiating affordable hotel rates at the conference venue. By reserving your room in the G4G hotel block, you’ll not only be immersed in the G4G social environment, but also you will help fulfill our commitment to the venue—directly supporting the success of the conference.
Discounted block room rates will be published closer to the event. Stay tuned!
Apply to Attend
Anyone with genuine interest in G4G topics is encouraged to apply to attend the G4G conference. Please let us know why you are excited to be part of the G4G community! Apply now for G4G17!
G4G17 Logo
The G4G17 Logo was Designed by Scott Kim.
Spoiler Alert: before you read the origin of the G4G17 logo, you may want to try and figure it out yourself. What does this logo have to do with the number 17?
If you would like to submit an unofficial logo for G4G17, please email us at: support@g4gfoundation.com.
[maxbutton id=”8″ url=”https://www.gathering4gardner.org/past-g4gn-logos/” text=”PAST G4Gn LOGOS” 7
Code of Conduct
G4G17 is a gathering of people of all ages from many disciplines with different interests. However, we all have one thing in common and that is our love of Martin Gardner and his legacy, which we are there to celebrate. We gather to share our ideas and learn about yours. We gather to see old friends and make new ones and to have a great time!
Some of us have been to all of the Gatherings and some of us are here for the first time. Here are a few guidelines to ensure that we all have a great time.
- We welcome new attendees, especially young attendees who might not find it easy to engage a more senior attendee in conversation.
- We welcome and encourage diversity and different opinions and ideas. However, G4G is not a political platform.
- We encourage mutual respect and ask that you refrain from promoting bias and stereotypes about race, nationality, religion, gender, and sexual orientation, or other personal characteristics.
- If you feel uncomfortable at any time during the meeting because of unbecoming behavior, please notify a G4G board member who will address the issues confidentially.
Thank you and enjoy the Gathering!