Second Annual NOLA Water Summit and Gala
NOLA Water Summit 2026 unites art, culture, and community to inspire climate action, water justice, and hope for our shared future.
NOLA Water Summit 2026: Keep Ya Head Up
As New Orleans marks 21 years since Hurricane Katrina and approaches the 100th anniversary of the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, the NOLA Water Summit 2026 invites our community to imagine a thriving future together.
Keep Ya Head Up brings together residents, artists, community leaders, entrepreneurs, researchers, policymakers, and advocates to explore how we can address flooding, climate change, mental health, affordability, and environmental justice while celebrating the culture that makes New Orleans unlike anywhere else.
Through interactive workshops, inspiring speakers, community conversations, immersive art experiences, and cultural celebrations, the Summit centers the voices of those most impacted by today's challenges. Designed in partnership with the Brackish Artists Collective, this year's programming blends creativity with action, proving that hope, joy, and community are essential tools for shaping our future.
Join us for a one-of-a-kind experience featuring the Water Gala, Dance & Dissent, and opportunities to connect, learn, and help build a healthier, more equitable Gulf Coast.
Water Gala and Awards Ceremony
Andreas Hoffmann - Founder of Greenlight New Orleans
David Waggonner - Founding principal of Waggonner & Ball
Keree Blanks: former TWC Team Member and award dedication.
Gala dress code is Cocktail and the theme is various shades of blue
The Nola Water Summit is co-planned with the Brackish Advisory Committee. Advisory members include:
Evan McNulty
Alexius Reign
yrécha gay Jheneall
Jarrell Hamilton
Nate Cameron
LaVonna Varnardo
Felli Maynard
Come celebrate our culture. Reimagine our future. Keep Ya Head Up.
Good to know
Highlights
- 7 hours 30 minutes
- all ages
- In person
- Free parking
Refund Policy
Location
Dew Drop Inn Hotel & Lounge - Historic Boutique Hotel in New Orleans LA
2836 Lasalle Street
New Orleans, LA 70115
How do you want to get there?
Agenda
Michelle Miller: Opening Keynote Address and Water Legacy Award
Join us as we celebrate the amazing Michelle Miller. As our keynote, Michelle will being her expertise, and lessons to the forefront, as the environmental justice spaces grapple with a changing political and social ecosystem. How does one know hope to communicate hope and unity in a world that encourages division. We will also celebrate Michelle's work by giving her a Water legacy award for her coverage of New Orleans over the decades.
-
Break
-
Media Roundtable: Moving from Media Sensationalism to Policy Change
The media roundtable will focus on several topics, including Water data access, consumer advocacy and transparency, and media sensationalism vs. What's real. This event is open to everyone, and focused on media partners, influencers, and other communications p professionals.