BET EXPERIENCE JUST GOT BIGGER WITH NEW FANFEST PROGRAMMING

“BET EXPERIENCE” OPEN CASTING CALL PRESENTED ROBI REED RETURNS

EVERYDAY PEOPLE AND JOE KAY’S SOULECTION MAKE THEIR BETX DEBUT, JOINED BY CAPTIVATING CONVERSATIONS, IMMERSIVE WORKSHOPS, AND CULINARY EXPERIENCES

Programming and Activations will feature Mass Appeal, Brandon Blackwood, Barriers, Trap Sushi, Louis Carr, Dame Dash, The-Dream, The Cast of "Tyler Perry's Sistas," and more.

“BET EXPERIENCE” 2026 MEDIA CREDENTIAL APPLICATION: HTTPS://FORMS.GLE/8XMHVM2HP8TFSSO77

Hi-res assets and images HERE

Los Angeles, CA, May 28, 2026 – BET Experience (BETX) is expanding its 2026 Fan Fest programming with a weekend celebrating culture, creativity, community, music, food, gaming, and discovery. General admission to BETX Fan Fest is free. Register and purchase VIP tickets at betexperience.com.

BETX’S OPEN CASTING CALL PRESENTED BY ROBI REED
On Friday, June 26, starting at 10 AM at The Beehive, “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 betexperience.com.

Note: Open Casting Call Presented by Robi Reed registrations do not include admission to BETX Fan Fest.

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.

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.

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.

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.

BET Experience 2026 talent and programming will continue to be announced at a later date. Stay informed with real-time updates by following BET Experience on X @bet and join the conversation using #BETX. To apply for media credentials please visit: https://forms.gle/8xMHvM2HP8tFsSo77. The deadline to apply for credentials is Friday, June 5, 2026 at 5 pm PT.

About BET Media Group
The BET Media Group, a unit of Paramount, a Skydance Corporation (Nasdaq: PSKY), is the world’s largest media company rooted in community, culture and connection for the Black community. For over four decades, BET has served as a trusted home for Black audiences, amplifying authentic stories, elevating Black voices and creating spaces where culture thrives and community comes together.

Through a powerful portfolio of brands including BET, BET+, BET Gospel, BET HER, BET Jams, BET Soul, BET Studios and VH1, BET connects audiences across cable, streaming, digital, live events, studios and global platforms, delivering culturally resonant content that reflects the depth, creativity and impact of the Black experience. For more information about BET, visit www.bet.com and follow @BET on social platforms. For more BET announcements, visit paramountpressexpress.com/bet/.

About BET Awards
“BET Awards” is one of the most-watched award shows on cable television, according to the Nielsen Company. The “BET Awards” franchise remains the #1 program in cableTV history among African Americans, and it is the #1 telecast for BET every year. It recognizes the triumphs and successes of artists, entertainers, and athletes in a variety of categories.

About BET Experience
BET Experience is the destination for elevating unapologetic Blackness with authentic entertainment, access, and lifestyle experiences. Through the lens of millennial and Gen Z audiences, BET Experience curates the culture, standing at the intersection of who this coveted segment is and where they’re headed.


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