The Northern Minnesota Robotics Conference (NMRC) will bring together robotics teams from across the region for its annual Conference Championship and Open Tournament from Oct. 23-24 at the Perham Area Community Center (PACC).

The event is free and open to the public, giving community members an opportunity to experience high-level student robotics competition firsthand.

The event will be hosted by Team 3297 – Full Metal Jackets of Perham High School, bringing the NMRC championship competition to the team’s home community.

The NMRC Championship will take place Friday, Oct. 23, with teams competing in the 2026 FIRST Robotics Competition game, REBUILT, putting their engineering, programming, driving, strategy and teamwork skills to the test. The NMRC Open Tournament will follow on Saturday, Oct. 24, providing another day of robotics competition and collaboration.

Beyond the competition on the field, the NMRC tournament celebrates what makes robotics unique: students working together, learning from one another, solving problems and supporting teams throughout the competition.

A weekend of robotics

The NMRC Championship will bring 28 teams together Friday, October 23, followed by the NMRC Open Tournament on Saturday, Oct. 24, featuring 24 teams. The Open Tournament provides another opportunity for teams to compete, learn and connect with other robotics programs.

The weekend will also be a celebration of the people who make robotics possible. During the championship, the NMRC will announce its Volunteer of the Year, Coach of the Year and Student of the Year award winners, recognizing individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to robotics and the NMRC community.

The weekend will showcase the teamwork and community involvement that have become hallmarks of NMRC robotics. Teams from communities across northern Minnesota and North Dakota participate in the conference, creating opportunities for students from geographically dispersed communities to connect through STEM and robotics.

Recognizing

event sponsors

An event of this scale takes a community. The Northern Minnesota Robotics Conference is fortunate to have the support of organizations that believe in providing students with meaningful opportunities to explore STEM, engineering and robotics.

Leading this year’s sponsorship effort are the Gene Haas Foundation and Enbridge Energy.

Their significant support of the NMRC helps provide students from across the region with opportunities to compete, learn and grow through robotics.

North Dakota State University is serving as the Field Sponsor for this year’s championship, helping bring the competition experience to life for the teams competing in Perham. 

Bringing the championship to Perham is also made possible through the support of Perham Area Community Center, NLFX Professional, Aagard Manufacturing and Digi-Key Electronics. Their contributions help provide the facilities, resources and support needed to create a successful event for teams and spectators.

The event also benefits from strong support from KLN Family Brands, Perham Schools, TEAM Industries, Pizza Ranch, Walmart Foundation, Visto’s Trailer Sales, Western Bank, Fargo/Moorhead STEM Alliance and R & J Broadcasting. Their contributions, along with the support of our other partners, help make this year’s championship possible. Together, these sponsors demonstrate the power of community, education and industry partnerships in creating opportunities for students. Their support helps the NMRC continue to grow robotics and STEM education while giving students the chance to develop skills in engineering, programming, problem-solving, teamwork and leadership.

Event information

2026 NMRC Championship — Friday, Oct. 23

NMRC Open Tournament — Saturday, Oct. 24

Location: Perham Area Community Center

Admission: Free and open to the public

For those unable to attend in person, both events will be available through live streaming.

Live streaming provided by R & J Broadcasting. Watch at YourLiveEvent.com or YourLiveEvent on YouTube

The Fargo/Moorhead STEM Alliance will also provide event coverage through its Twitch channel.