Sitting Pretty in Garden City 2026

Sitting Pretty in Garden City:
The 23rd International Convention of The Wodehouse Society
November 5–8, 2026

Welcome to our 2026 Convention page! Here is where you will find all the latest information about The Wodehouse Society’s 23rd convention, to be held in Garden City, New York. To register, click on the blue button above or at the bottom of this page. Please note that convention attendance is restricted to TWS members. If you are not currently a member, please go to our Membership page to join.

HOTEL LOCATION AND ROOM RATES
Convention venue: the Garden City Hotel, 45 7th St., Garden City, NY
* 12 miles from JFK International Airport
* 16 miles from LaGuardia Airport
* Directly across the street from a Long Island Railroad station (app. 45 minutes to Penn Station). Note: This station is not wheelchair accessible.

Convention room rate: $289 per night for a Deluxe Double (two beds) or Deluxe King (one bed)
* State and county taxes additional
* Fee of $30 per room, per day, covers parking (self or valet), in-room Wifi, local calls, and use of the indoor pool and fitness center.
* The convention rate is good for the nights of November 4–8, but please note that for the 4th and the 8th, only a small number of rooms have been reserved.

Reserving a Room: Reservations may be made online at The Biennial Convention of the Wodehouse Society. You may also call the hotel at 516-747-3000; be sure to ask for the Biennial Convention/Wodehouse Society room block when making your reservation.

Roommate Matching: For those traveling alone who wish to share costs with others, we would be happy to put you in touch with fellow singles. Contact us.

SCHEDULE AND PRICING
Registration Fee (required): $80 (until 8/15/26; thereafter $90)
Note: Space is limited for certain events, as indicated in the information below. If you have any questions, please contact us.

Thursday, November 5: Reception, 5–7 pm [Fee: $40 (until 8/15/26; thereafter $50)]
* Cash bar and appetizers
* Games: Take part in our Wodehouse-themed games or just watch the fun. If neither suits, simply chat with friends old and new.
* Dinner on your own in the hotel’s King Bar or Red Salt Room (reservations recommended), or visit one of the many nearby restaurants. We will be providing a list of dining options.

Friday, November 6: Pilgrimage to Remsenburg [Fee: $50 (until 8/15/26; thereafter $60)]
* Limited to 110 people (55 per bus)
* Bus departures at 9 am and 10 am; return to hotel mid-to-late afternoon
– Note: Choose your preferred bus departure time when registering.
– We reserve the right to assign you to a bus if your chosen bus is full.
* Bideawee Adoption Center and Memorial Park, Westhampton
– Burial site of several Wodehouse pets; special surprise in store!
– Please bring along cash if you wish to make a donation to the shelter.
* Remsenburg Community Presbyterian Church Chapel
– Lunch and visit to the grave of Sir P. G. and Lady Wodehouse
* Visit to site of the Wodehouse home on Basket Neck Lane
* Stop at the post office that PGW walked to daily
* After return to hotel, dinner on your own

Friday, November 6: Concert and Singalong, 7:30–10 pm [Fee: $20 (until 8/15/26; thereafter $30)]
* Performance by Maria Jette and Dan Chouinard
* Optional: Stay on for a singalong after the performance.
* If you like, you can bring drinks from the hotel bar.

Saturday, November 7: Riveting Talks, 9:00 am–4:30 pm [Fee: $50 (until 8/15/26; thereafter $60)]
* Talks by a great panel of riveting speakers
* Short business meeting following the lunch break
* Special reading of a particularly apt Wodehouse short story

Saturday, November 7: Reception, 6:30–7:30 pm; Banquet, 7:30–10:00 pm [Fee: $100 (until 8/15/26; thereafter $110)]
* Limited to 150 people
* Come in costume or in evening finery.
– Costume judging during the reception; winners to be announced during dinner.
* Cash bar during both the reception and the dinner
– Note: No bottles of wine will be provided, so get your own from the hotel bar if desired.
* Meals will be ordered at the table; attendees will be notified of meal choices prior to the convention.
* Toasts, awards, and more

Sunday, November 8: Breakfast, 8:00–10:00 am (Cotillion) [Fee: $40 (until 8/15/26; thereafter $50)]
* Limited to 150 people
* A chance to bid your Wodehousean comrades farewell before heading back home

BITS AND BOBS
New York City Tours: Before or after the convention, there may be groups forming to go into New York City to visit Wodehouse-related sites there. These are not being organized by the Convention Committee, but please notify us if you wish to organize or join such a group so we can help you spread the word.

No Rummage Sale This Time: There will be no rummage sale at this binge (there simply isn’t room), so please do not bring items to donate.

Book Sale: Although there won’t be a rummage sale, we will be selling a few books. Please notify us if you plan to bring any to donate as table space will be limited.

Silent Auction: We will be holding a silent auction to help raise funds for future conventions. If you have anything of value that you feel would make a good silent auction lot, again, please notify us in advance.

Order A Guide to P. G. Wodehouse’s New York City and Long Island: This 48-page booklet by Norman Murphy and Amy Plofker was originally published in 2011 and has been update and expanded, with several new pictures. It is a must to have in your collection, whether or not you wil be attending the convention. For more information, click on the link above.