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Deets: The BET Experience (BETX) is expanding its 2026 Fan Fest programming with a weekend celebrating culture, creativity, community, music, food, gaming, and discovery.
BETX’S OPEN CASTING CALL PRESENTED BY ROBI REED Friday, June 26: 10AM
“BETX Open Casting Call Presented by Robi Reed” offers emerging talent the chance to be seen by one of the most notable names in entertainment casting. With a career spanning decades, Emmy Award–winning casting director Robi Reed has discovered and shaped some of the industry’s most recognizable talent, making the casting experience a standout opportunity of BETX weekend. Interested participants must complete the registration at http://betexperience.com.
EVERYDAY PEOPLE & SOULECTION AT BETX THE CULTURE STAGE
The energy continues at BETX The Culture Stage, where globally recognized music collectives and community-driven experiences will keep the celebration going all weekend. Friday features Everyday People, widely celebrated as one of the world’s premier day-party experiences, bringing its signature blend of global sounds, Black joy, and community-first energy. On Saturday, Joe Kay’s genre-defining collective Soulection, known as “The Sound of Tomorrow,” brings its signature curation and a dynamic lineup of DJs.
BETX CENTERSTAGE: CONVERSATIONS & SESSIONS
At BETX CenterStage, fans will experience live conversations and immersive sessions with influential voices across entertainment, business, television, and music. Friday’s lineup features OG Stories: CEO Talk, an unfiltered fireside conversation with BET President Louis Carr and Dame Dash on building empires, reinvention, and unapologetic leadership.
Saturday continues with We Got You Sis, featuring the cast of “Tyler Perry’s Sistas,” including KJ Smith-Black, Crystal Renee Hayslett, Mignon,Tunde Oyeneyin, and Jordan Coleman, in a candid conversation moderated by DomiNque Perry focused on relationships, sisterhood, boundaries, and self-growth.
Also on Saturday, there will be a Music Production Masterclass led by acclaimed producer/songwriter Kosine and a Pen to Platinum Fireside Chat with Grammy-winning artist and songwriter The-Dream, offering fans an inside look at songwriting, production, and the creative process behind music’s biggest records.
THE EXCHANGE: FASHION
The Exchange is BETX’s dedicated retail space where fans can purchase exclusive BET merchandise alongside Black and Brown-owned brands in fashion, beauty, art, and lifestyle. It will feature limited-edition drops. BET and Mass Appeal will also present a curated fashion showcase highlighting eleven Black designers, from newcomers to established names like Brandon Blackwood. In partnership with Barriers, BET will launch a limited-edition capsule rooted in cultural storytelling, supported by curated seeding kits, to expand its influence across talent, community, and culture both on-site and beyond BETX.
GAMING HOUSE
In partnership with Trap Sushi, an anime and cosplay experience that blends Atlanta culture with Japanese pop culture, BET will bring Gaming House to life at this year’s BETX. The interactive arena will let fans play, stream, and compete alongside top gamers and creators while learning, leveling up, and winning gaming systems and equipment. Throughout the weekend, Trap Sushi will also host live tournaments, cosplay competitions, and conversations exploring the intersection of gaming, hip-hop, and anime.
VIP FOOD EXPERIENCE: FOOD & CONNECTION
The BETX VIP Lounge will feature four chefs onsite across both event days, each showcasing curated menus inspired by their individual style and brand. The experience is designed as an all-day “grab and relax” atmosphere with elevated small bites. Rather than scheduled programming or formal demos, the chefs themselves are the experience, actively engaging with guests, presenting dishes, sharing stories behind the food, and creating an intimate, hospitality-driven environment throughout the day. The VIP lounge will feature standout chefs JerkMuva (Chef Ashley Morgan), Chef Mando (Yaw Marcus Johnson), Chef Darrell “DAS” Smith, and Chef Jonathan Harris, along with food partners Happy Ice, Wings N Waffles, Two Hommès, and Harold and Belle’s.
Hint for the Average Socialite:
General admission to BETX Fan Fest is free. Register in advance to attend.
Elevated your experience by purchasing VIP tickets that include priority entry and BETX VIP lounge access
“Open Casting Call Presented by Robi Reed” registrations do not include admission to BETX Fan Fest.
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