News Releases

EBONY HOSTS FIRST-EVER SENSORY SOIRÉE

Interactive Event Brings Food & Culture of Louisville to Atlanta 

ATLANTA, March 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- EBONY, the most influential Black-owned media company in the world, has partnered with Louisville Tourism to bring the local tastes, sounds, and charm of Louisville, Kentucky to Atlanta, Georgia for the first-ever EBONY Sensory Soirée. Hosted at The Gathering Spot located at 384 Northyard Boulevard, NW from 12pm4pm on Saturday, April 13, 2024, the EBONY Sensory Soirée presented by Louisville Tourism will be an interactive affair open to the public, showcasing live performances, culinary tastings, and specially curated experiences that highlight the rich and vibrant history, traditions, and lure of Louisville and Black culture.

EBONY will highlight Black culture and the best of the Louisville community while catering to an Atlanta-based audience.

The EBONY Sensory Soirée presented by Louisville Tourism will feature cuisine from James Beard 2024 semi-finalist and Louisville-based chef Lawrence Weeks, a bourbon spotlight by Kentucky's first African American owned distillery Brough Brothers Distillery, and a performance by folk and soul singer Scott T. Smith. The Kentucky Derby-themed event will allow Atlanta-based residents to taste, hear, smell, touch, and see the best of Black expression coming out of Louisville, Kentucky. 

"Not only does EBONY have a small corporate presence in Kentucky, but Louisville has long been a place where the Black community has had an impact on local culture," said EBONY Chairwoman and CEO Eden Bridgeman. "The first ever EBONY Sensory Soirée allows us to share a special niche of the Black community with the rest of the world, and there is no better place to begin than by bringing Louisville to Atlanta." 

"As we strive to increase our destination's brand awareness among Black travelers, I cannot think of a more fitting media company to partner with than EBONY, with their deep connection to Bourbon City," said Cleo Battle, Louisville Tourism President and CEO. "We look forward to showcasing Bourbon City's unique brand of Southern hospitality; introducing our rich bourbon and culinary scene to soirée attendees as Chef Weeks, Brough Brothers Distillery, and Angel's Envy offer a taste of authentic Louisville." 

With the mission of championing the Black expression, EBONY will highlight Black culture and the best of the Louisville community during the EBONY Sensory Soirée while catering to an Atlanta-based audience where Black culture thrives. 

General admission tickets for the EBONY Sensory Soiree are available for $75, and patrons can enhance their experience with limited $100 tickets that include a cocktail making class. Tickets are on sale now at EBONY.com and EventBrite.

About EBONY 

For more than 75 years, EBONY has served as the leading voice of the Black American experience and is the most influential Black-owned media company in the world. Under new ownership and leadership, EBONY has grown into a multi-media entity, covering cultural news, entertainment, and lifestyle with a commitment to champion the Black expression through EBONY.com, EBONY Studios, and JET.

EBONY continues to be the leading authority and anchor for all facets of Black culture, illuminating the Black perspective and serving as the ultimate curator for the past, present, and future of the Black and African American experience. 

EBONY Media Group is a division of 1145 Holdings, LLC. 

About Louisville Tourism 

Since 1968, Louisville Tourism's primary goal has been to enhance the area's economy through tourism development - to promote and sell Louisville as a world-class destination. Prior to the pandemic, Tourism was the third largest industry in Louisville hosting 19 million visitors in 2019. This peak of visitation had been generating an estimated economic impact of $3.4 billion which supported over 70,000 local tourism-related jobs. 

MEDIA CONTACT:
BJ Coleman
EBONY
bjcoleman@ebony.com