April 22-23, 2026
You’ve heard of middle America. Big Towns is a conversation for mid-sized America: Places too big to be small towns and too small to be big cities.
A two-day summit in Lafayette, Louisiana bringing together leaders from around the country, Big Towns is where mid-sized cities find ideas that fit.
Big Towns 2026
Meet This Year’s Speakers
Mayor Lacey Beaty
Lacey Beaty is the Mayor of Beaverton, Oregon. A dynamic leader with deep commitment to public service, equity and community, Mayor Beaty was elected as the first female mayor of Beaverton in 2020. She is a U.S. Army veteran, and has made significant strides in improving housing affordability, enhancing veterans’ services, and creating a more bikeable and walkable city.
Dean Baquet
Dean Baquet is a journalist and editor who made his mark on journalism at a local level in New Orleans before rising to prominence at the Chicago Tribune and later The New York Times. His significant contributions to investigative journalism have been recognized with several prestigious awards, most notably the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Journalism. Baquet continues to influence the field of journalism, leading a fellowship program at The New York Times dedicated to training young journalists in local investigative journalism.
Mayor Molly Rawn
Molly Rawn is the Mayor of Fayetteville, Arkansas. As one of the fastest-growing mid-sized communities in the region, Fayetteville’s story offers a powerful example of how to balance growth with identity. Since taking office in 2025, Mayor Rawn has aligned city operations with community needs, strengthening infrastructure and making local government more accessible.
Why Big Towns?
Mid-sized cities are home to more than one-third of America’s population. They’re the proving grounds for the nation’s next big ideas in housing, workforce, culture and community identity. Yet they’re often left out of national conversations. Big Towns is here to change that, amplifying innovation, leadership and progress from cities that are big enough to matter, small enough to care and built to last. Big Towns was created in 2024 as a national summit where civic leaders, planners, business innovators and community builders connect to share what actually works. Each year, we gather in Lafayette, Louisiana, a city that embodies what Big Towns stands for: creativity, collaboration and culture that brings people together.
Register Now
Big Towns: April 22-23, 2026
Listen to a Big Towns Conversation
Dean Baquet with Mayor Tim Kelly
A conversation between journalist Dean Baquet and Chattanooga, Tennessee Mayor Tim Kelly, recorded April 24, 2025 at Big Towns in Lafayette, Louisiana.
© 2025 The Current Media Inc.
Do I live in a Big Town?
- Are you surprised when you don’t see someone you know at the airport?
- Is it hard to find somewhere local to eat on Mondays?
- Is your hometown left off the Weather Channel map?
If you answer yes to any of these questions, you probably live in a Big Town.
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How to Get Here
Venue
Big Towns is hosted at the Acadiana Center for the Arts in Downtown Lafayette.
101 W Vermilion St.
Lafayette, LA 70501
By Car
Lafayette is located on Interstate 10 at the terminus of Interstate 49.
By Air
Lafayette Regional Airport (LFT) services flights to Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Charlotte. Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR) is roughly 60 miles away. Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans (MSY) is 120 miles away.
Where to Stay
Hilton Garden Inn Lafayette/Cajundome
Use code BIG26 (book by March 30 for discounted rate)
The Carriage House Hotel, City Club at River Ranch
Mention Big Towns for special pricing
About Lafayette
Lafayette is the hub of Acadiana, a region of South Louisiana known for Cajun and Creole culture and some of the best food, music and hospitality in the country. We’re Louisiana’s fourth largest city, with a population of roughly 120,000 and a metro community of around half a million.
Festival International de Louisiane
April 23-27, 2026
After soaking up Big Towns, feel free to stick around for Festival International, Lafayette’s best party and a global event that attracts 300,000 people to Downtown Lafayette. It’s a world class festival, celebrating Lafayette’s connections to the Francophone world and beyond.
Oh, did we mention it’s free? Learn more about Lafayette’s best party.
Our 2026 Partners
Event Hosts
Skyline Sponsors
Dine Around Sponsors
Public Space Sponsors
Neighborhood Sponsors
