Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1544721
B M & T ••• May/June 2026 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 40 Meetings gather at the Lake Charles Event Center with lake views just outside the doors, then transition easily to downtime at L'Auberge Casino Resort or Golden Nugget Lake Charles. In between, the Creole Nature Trail offers the quiet of open sky, marshland, and space to breathe. NEW ORLEANS Tremé sets the beat, with brass bands rising through the neighborhood and Congo Square holding space for centuries of music, movement, and memory. You move through the New Orleans African American Museum and the Backstreet Cultural Museum with that music and memory still echoing, then carry it into the streets where culture isn't staged but lived. For groups, that connection becomes part of the experience. Meetings take place along the Mississippi River at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, where more than a mil- lion square feet of contiguous space places your event within walking distance of the Warehouse Arts District and down- town. From there, the possibilities are abundant. You can step out of a session and into a gallery, a live performance, or a neighborhood steeped in story. Stay nearby at Hilton New Orleans Riverside, Hyatt Regency New Orleans, or The Roosevelt New Orleans, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, where access and atmosphere work hand in hand. Dining carries its own legacy. At Dooky Chase's Restaurant, history and hospitality meet at the table, while Willie Mae's Scotch House and Compère Lapin continue the conversation through flavor, tradition, and innovation. Evenings shift to Frenchmen Street, where live music of virtually every style resounds from numerous clubs and the Frenchmen Art Bazaar presents the work of local artists throughout the night. Of course, that's not the only place in New Orleans to hear great New Orleans music: start with local talent at The Jazz Playhouse or check the schedule of mid-sized concerts at music club Tipitina's. Between gatherings, the Mississippi Riverfront and City Park offer room to reset, reflect, and reconnect. And when tim- ing aligns, events like Essence Festival of Culture, the Jazz & Heritage Festival and Mardi Gras expand the experience into something larger, full of movement, music, and community. SHREVEPORT The feeling of blues and Southern soul at community gath- erings runs through Shreveport. You feel it at the Multicultural Center of the South, where art and history ground your visit, then again during Juneteenth celebrations and the two-week- end 318 MLK Dreamfest. It's a place where culture shows up in person, full of life. Meetings gather along the Red River at the Shreveport Convention Center, with the connected Hilton Shreveport keeping your group close to everything. Visit Orlandeaux's Café for a meal that carries generations of tradition, then join the evening along the Red River District, with its restaurants, live entertainment and nearby casinos. MISSISSIPPI Mississippi is a journey through living history, where the echoes of the blues, the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement, and generations of family tradition shape every mile. In Jackson, museums and HBCU culture bring you stories that still resonate, while Natchez offers riverfront reflection through preserved neighborhoods and African American heritage trails. Along Coastal Mississippi, Biloxi and Gulfport shift the vibe with seafood pulled straight from the Gulf, music drifting from open-air venues, and resort-style stays that invite you to linger a little longer. Across the state, the experience moves easily from historic sites in the morning, gathering over soul food, to live music or waterfront sunsets by evening. Outdoor excursions, festivals, and multigeneration-friendly attractions add layers of connec- tion and ease. Whether you're planning a meeting, a reunion, or a summer escape, Mississippi offers a setting where culture isn't curated—it's lived, shared, and ready to welcome you into what comes next. BILOXI Shreveport Convention Center New Orleans Convention Center Biloxi Harrahs pool