GALAXY COMMUNITY CONFERENCE 2026 GCC2026 starts today! Welcome to the first day of GCC2026! We are excited to see you in Clermont-Ferrand. Please review the key information below before you head to the venue. TODAY AT GCC2026 Main conference: June 22–24 The main GCC2026 conference begins today, Monday, June 22, and continues through Wednesday, June 24. Here are the most important details for in-person attendees. AT A GLANCE Dates: June 22–24, 2026 Venue: IUT Clermont Auvergne, Campus des Cézeaux Address: 5 Avenue Blaise Pascal, 63178 Aubière, France CHECK-IN Please check in at the GCC2026 registration desk when you arrive. The registration desk opens today, Monday, June 22 at 8:30 AM, 30 minutes before the first session. You will receive your badge and conference materials there. GETTING TO THE VENUE GCC2026 is being held at IUT Clermont Auvergne, a branch of Université Clermont Auvergne located on the Cézeaux campus. The campus is about 5 kilometers from Clermont-Ferrand’s city center. By public transportation: Take tramway Line A to the “UCA - Campus Cézeaux” stop. The campus is also served by multiple bus lines, including Line 6, 32, and 35. Address: IUT Clermont Auvergne – Campus des Cézeaux, 5 Avenue Blaise Pascal, 63178 Aubière, France CONFERENCE COMMUNICATION Please join the GCC2026 Slack workspace. This will be the main place for conference communication, updates, questions, and community conversation during GCC. Join the GCC2026 Slack<https://join.slack.com/t/gcc2026/shared_invite/zt-40fkzifn5-3fvZrTVgBHr96Fl5c4U7Rg> PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION CARDS If you were able to reserve a public transportation card, you can pick it up at the registration desk. These cards are intended to help with local transportation during the main conference days. Please note that public transportation is free during the weekend in Clermont-Ferrand. Helpful conference links Keep the GCC2026 website and schedule handy throughout the conference. GCC2026 Website<https://galaxyproject.org/events/gcc2026/> View the Schedule<https://galaxyproject.org/events/gcc2026/schedule/> GCC2026 SCAVENGER HUNT Join a GCC tradition The GCC2026 Scavenger Hunt begins today, and everyone is welcome to join! Teams can be just one person or more. To participate, create a Google Drive folder named with your team name. Share the folder with your teammates and jenv75@gmail.com. Upload photos of your completed clues by Wednesday, June 24 at 11:30 AM. Points will be counted and winners will be announced during the closing remarks. Please note that photos taken before the start of the conference on June 22 are not eligible. The full clue list is included in the attached scavenger hunt PDF. SHARE YOUR GCC2026 EXPERIENCE Photos and social media Sharing your travels or conference experience on social media? Tag us and be sure to use #GCC2026 and #UseGalaxy. You can find us on LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/company/galaxy-project>, Bluesky<https://bsky.app/profile/galaxyproject.bsky.social>, and Mastodon<https://mstdn.science/@galaxyproject>. We also have a #gcc2026-photos channel in Slack for attendees to share photos from the conference and around Clermont-Ferrand. IMPORTANT FIRST-DAY REMINDERS Please prepare for very hot weather today HEAT WAVE REMINDER Please prepare for very hot weather Clermont-Ferrand, and France in general, is experiencing very hot weather. Please bring a refillable water bottle, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and anything else that will help you stay cool and comfortable during GCC2026. A friendly note: please think about water and heat protection during your travels, too. We will be providing Galaxy fans at the conference to help attendees stay cool. GCC2026 · June 22–24, 2026 · Clermont-Ferrand, France We look forward to seeing you today!