It’s Friday and close to the end of the work day when Travel Noire caught up with Dr. Jennifer Dobbs, the director of cultural affairs for the city of Montgomery. She’s running on adrenaline (thanks to a quick turnaround deadline) and purpose as she prepares for a major event in the city. It’s one that required a full venue change in less than 24 hours.

The change comes from severe weather. She laughs when she mentions it, but not with stress or frustration. It’s the sound of confidence and pride for her city.

“All will be well,” she says.

Dobbs is in what she calls full “event planning mode.” She’s taking that same unshakeable energy in planning A Fine & Dandy Affair, a three-day cultural experience taking place May 15-17, 2026. Headlined by actress, model, and television personality Eva Marcille and singer, songwriter, and actor Lloyd, the event is designed to do what Montgomery has been quietly doing for years but rarely gets full credit for: positioning the city as a cultural force, not just a civil rights landmark.

For 2026, the city is hosting the weekend is partnership with ESSENCE Festival of Culture^®. It’s a pairing that Dobbs says makes sense, and the parallels she draws between the city and the platform are striking. ESSENCE spent 50 years as a voice for the African-American community, often filling a void in mainstream media. Montgomery has long been revered as the epicenter of the civil rights movement. It’s the same city where Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led a congregation and a movement, and where the march to Selma began. Two institutions anchored in Black history are now co-creating something new.

“Both the city of Montgomery and the institution of ESSENCE have a very storied and revered history,” she says. “Being able to partner on the creation of a new piece of history is very exciting … and dare I say, transformational. You couldn’t ask for a better marriage.”

Beyond The History Books

aerial view of Montgomery, Alabama — Kruck20 / Getty Images

With all the reverence Montgomery commands and carries, Dobbs describes the weight history can carry in a city like Montgomery.

“Our history can be very heavy,” she says. “The building I’m in [for example] … downstairs, it was used as a slave warehouse. You will find that all over the city.”

She doesn’t want Montgomery to be pinned solely under sorrow. With A Fine & Dandy Affair™, she and her team hope they can show people that Montgomery can be two things at once.

“We honor, respect, and revere that history. But our ancestors wouldn’t have wanted us to stay stuck. We can be historical and cultural.”

The proof is already there, and that’s what she says Montgomery will showcase during the weekend events.

“We have a burgeoning, thriving arts and culture community here. Our artists have presented in the largest urban arts festival in the world in Paris, and we’ve had artists from Paris come here.”

According to Dobbs, the Alabama Shakespeare Festival calls Montgomery home, and Montgomery Whitewater, a premier outdoor destination, is one of only three facilities of its kind in the world and has also hosted Olympic trials. There’s the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, built by Bryan Stevenson and his nonprofit, the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI). It’s the nation’s first major memorial dedicated to the victims of racial terror lynching.

The King’s Canvas, located on the historic Selma to Montgomery March Voting Rights Trail, will serve as the backdrop for a fireside conversation that will host the weekend’s programming. Over the years, it has become a centerpiece of creativity and a cultural mecca.

“When ESSENCE partners came for their original scouting tour, they were blown away,” Dobbs recalls. “The second time they came, they said, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s even greater than the first time.’ They have fallen in love with Montgomery.”

A Fine & Dandy Affair: Three Pillars, One Mission

Three pillars anchor this year’s A Fine & Dandy Affair™: Health & Wellness, Business & Entrepreneurship, and Civic Engagement. Dobbs says each was chosen deliberately.

Health & Wellness responds to the reality that certain health challenges disproportionately affect the Black community. The programming will bring together local medical experts alongside celebrities with broad platforms, blending best practices with community-specific knowledge. Kicking off the weekend is the A Fine & Dandy Affair™ Wellness 5K. First Lady Tamika Reed will host the run in partnership with Move Montgomery and national wellness organization GirlTREK.

Business & Entrepreneurship is about expanding what’s possible and who gets to be in the room. The session will spotlight two young Montgomerians with thriving businesses, and the programming will extend to conversations about AI, cryptocurrency, and wealth-building.

The Civic Engagement pillar will highlight what already exists within Montgomery, including the museums, cultural sites, and homegrown talent. It’s a reminder that being a tourist in your own city is sometimes the most revolutionary act.

“I want people to know we have people who can go out and impact the world right here from Montgomery,” Dobbs says, “as did our forefathers.”

Outside of the themed event, a protest is also happening on the National Day of Action for Voting Rights, titled “All Roads Lead to the South.” The event features a 9 a.m. prayer at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma and a mass rally at the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery.

The Main Event is The Gala. Taking place in Blount Cultural Park from 7 p.m. -11 p.m., the gala is an elevated evening experience. Guests are encouraged to arrive in their finest green-colored dandy attire, embracing bold fashion, individuality, and timeless style. The evening will feature gourmet food experiences, live music and dancing, curated performances, and a showcase of Montgomery’s fashion and creative excellence. Throughout the weekend, guests can also expect a vendor marketplace featuring locally owned businesses.

A Fine & Dandy Affair™ takes place May 15–17, 2026, in Montgomery, Alabama. Tickets and the full schedule are available at experiencemontgomeryal.org/a-fine-dandy-affair.

Essence Festival