Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1544721
ccc T E X A S G O L D S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S E C T I O N ccc B M & T ••• May/June 2026 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 19 ccc A B I LE N E ccc In Abilene, everything your meeting needs sits within reach and every detail supports con- nection. The Abilene Convention Center offers approximately 110,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space designed to move attendees seamlessly from general sessions to breakouts and evening functions. With the DoubleTree by Hilton Abilene Downtown Convention Center directly connected, your attendees can glide between guestrooms and gathering spaces, so the focus can remain on the work and the people. Abilene's downtown Cultural District invites your group to comfortably explore galleries, public art, and performance spaces. Time your program to include an evening at the Paramount Theatre or build in a cultural excursion to The Grace Museum or the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature. Abilene also reveals the story of Black West Texas through its community institutions, historic churches, and regional Juneteenth celebrations, providing opportunities to design cultural programming. For planners serving Black audiences, that sense of connection becomes part of the experience. Shape Abilene to fit your group. Host a private reception in a historic venue, plan an art-centered gathering that sparks conversation, or take your attendees on outdoor and ranch-style experiences that encourage collaboration. Wellness options range from walking trails to fitness studios, while evenings possess a relaxed mix of live music, local dining, and spaces designed for genuine exchange. For associations, faith-based groups, and educational organizations, Abilene offers a meetings environment where scale works in your favor. www.abilenevisitors.com or (375) 676-2556 It begins with a sense of scale: the sky, the sky- line, the way Texas seems to open up the moment you arrive. Sunlight glints off downtown towers, spills across walkable streets, and settles into spaces designed for gath- ering. There is move- ment, but it never feels rushed, just a steady, con- fident pace. That feeling carries into the meeting experience. Your attendees step from polished convention spaces into neigh- borhoods alive with color and character, murals that stop you mid-block, patios filled with conversation and the hum of live music weaving through the air. What makes Texas unique is its versatility. The state blends cowboy culture, a rebellious spirit, and a special- ized food culture that includes Texas BBQ, Tex-Mex, and kolaches. It can be cosmopolitan and cool, polished and powerful, soulful and storied, depending on what kind of experience you want to build. Each city offers its own palette, its own rhythm, its own way of bringing people together beyond the agenda. And that's where the magic happens, in the in-between moments: the walk, the view, the shared experience. In Texas, meet- ccc Abilene Convention Center Meeting Room BY PARTICE A. KELLY