The City of Missouri City is excited about two community milestones that will be celebrated, as city officials will host a grand opening to unveil their state-of-the-art Missouri City Visitors Center to the public, as well as invite the public out for the commemoration of the Fourth Annual Black History Month Celebration of Culture & Music.
The festivities will kick-off on Friday, February 9th at 5 pm, with members of the Missouri City Council and the staff showcasing the new Missouri City Visitors Center at the official grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“My team and I can’t wait to show residents and stakeholders all of the fun they can have exploring one of America’s BEST places to live, work and play,” said City Manager Anthony J. Snipes. “The new facility is located inside our redesigned Community Center and features a holographic virtual assistant and interactive kiosk. The project is an opportunity for the City to share our tourism program with the public and highlight the great sites we have for regional visitors to enjoy, including the award-winning Edible Arbor Trail, the top-ranked Quail Valley Golf Course and City Centre at Quail Valley, the historical Freedom Tree Park, a variety of other premier parks and fine-dining restaurants, a first-class movie theater, and a three-star hotel that offers family-friendly staycations.”
The new Missouri City Visitors Center was funded by $100,000 in hotel occupancy tax revenue, which also accounts for a Tourism Manager, with recruitment for that position being under way.
Following the Missouri City Visitors Center ceremony, Missouri City officials will kick-off the Fourth Annual Black History Month Celebration of Culture & Music, with an Artists & Authors Exhibition at 6 pm at the Missouri City Community Center in the City Hall Complex, located at 1522 Texas Pkwy.
Continuing with the festivities on the following day, the formal Black History Month program will be held all day on Saturday, February 10th at the Missouri City Community Center, and will feature an inaugural panel with Dr. Madeline Burillo-Hopkins, President of the Missouri City Houston Community College Campus, Dr. Charles Dupre, Fort Bend Independent School District Superintendent, Dr. Robert Bostic, Stafford Municipal School District Superintendent and Dr. Gleniece Robinson, Director of Educational Strategies for the City of Fort Worth, discussing Education & the Economy. Featured performances throughout the day include Theresa Grayson, Step Rideau & the Zydeco Outlaws, and the Fort Bend Academy of Arts & Dance, and there will be a live DJ, art displays, food trucks, a gaming truck, bounce houses and much more.
Saturday’s full agenda is as follows:
- Event Program and Education Panel: 11:30 am–1 pm
- Missouri City Taste and Sound of Soul: 2 pm
- Let’s Stomp Out HIV/AIDs Stepshow Competition: 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm
- *An Afternoon of Zydeco and Jazz with Step Rideau and Theresa Grayson: 4:30 pm–6:45 pm
- *Fort Bend Academy of Arts & Dance Presents “A Culture of Movement Dance Showcase” 7 pm–9 pm
“We’re proud to see our Black History Month tradition continue to recognize African American culture and accomplishments,” said City Manager Snipes. “This year we wanted to seamlessly blend together celebrations of history, local artists, authors, educators, entertainers, business owners and of course, our area youth. All of these events will be top-notch and we look forward to hosting residents and stakeholders from across the region.”
Black History Month partners include H-E-B, Classic Chevrolet Sugar Land, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), BlueCross Blue Shield, Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson LLP, Houston Community College, Black Leadership AIDS Crisis Coalition (BLACC), Fort Bend Academy of Arts & Dance (FBAAD), Micheaux’s Diner & Catering, INC., The Greatest BBQ, Texasiana Food Truck, Boogie’s BBQ, The Pink Company, Cajun Pits Catering and Niagara Bottling, LLC.
Volunteer opportunities are available for this event, so any interested residents may contact Media Relations Specialist III Cory Stottlemyer at cstottlemyer@missouricitytx.gov or at 281.403.8532.
