The Honorable Greg Cromer, Mayor of the City of Slidell, will participate in the Mayors’ Institute on City Design (MICD) at Tulane University’s School of Architecture from March 29-31, 2022. At the invitation of the National Endowment for the Arts and the United States Conference of Mayors, Mayor Cromer will have the opportunity to receive pragmatic recommendations on urban planning and design challenges from six of the nation’s renowned design and development experts.

“I am truly honored to be invited to participate in the Mayors’ Institute on City Design and learn from colleagues across the country as they share best practices for enriching the quality of life for residents, businesses, and visitors through thoughtful design and innovative practices,” said Greg Cromer, Mayor of the City of Slidell. “This will also be an opportunity for me to share how the City of Slidell is harnessing our strategic geographic proximity to markets across the Gulf South to attract businesses and residents and leveraging our Olde Towne area to bolster our creative arts, cultural, and recreational assets. Here in Slidell, we also understand the responsibility we bear for designing and maintaining infrastructure that protects our natural local ecosystem and has a focus on resilience to meet the current and future needs of our community.”

As cities emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic with a renewed focus on equity, safety, and opportunity for all, this Mayors’ Institute session will provide actionable ideas for city leaders rising to meet this moment of change. MICD is the nation’s preeminent forum for mayors to address these issues through the lens of city design and development.

“The selection of Mayor Cromer to participate in the Mayor’s Institute on City Design is an honor and a testament to his commitment to innovation and creativity in generating economic opportunities in the city of Slidell,” said Chris Masingill, Chief Executive Officer of St. Tammany Corporation, the economic development organization for St. Tammany. “During Mayor Cromer’s tenure, the city has revamped its permitting process for consistency and ease of use, reaffirmed its commitment to planning for a sustainable future with its facilitation of its current strategic planning process, and demonstrated its willingness to partner with economic development to align business development and talent retention initiatives.”

Since 1986, the Mayors’ Institute has helped transform communities by preparing mayors to be the chief urban designers of their cities. MICD sessions bring together experts in the allied city design fields – architecture, planning, landscape architecture, equitable development, and more – to help mayors put their ideals into action in the built environment.

The City of Slidell broke ground on Thursday, March 24, on the Tammany Trace to Heritage Park project at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Bayou Lane. Mayor Cromer, members of the Slidell City Council, and elected and city officials were present.

The project includes the installation of a ten-foot-wide recreational trail from Heritage Park to the east end of Strawberry Street. Upon completion of this project, St. Tammany Parish Government will complete the connection to the Trace to the existing path at Gause Blvd. W.

The City of Slidell is funding a portion of this project through a FHWA Recreational Program for Louisiana grant. The total cost of the project is approximately $681,000.

For more information about City of Slidell news and upcoming events, you can sign up for our email news list on our website at MySlidell.com or visit the “City of Slidell, Louisiana” on Facebook.

The City of Slidell is pleased to announce that there is now public WiFi in several public parks in the City of Slidell, Louisiana.

The City of Slidell hosted a Ribbon Cutting for the WiFi in Public Parks last week at Possum Hollow Park. Mayor Cromer, members of the Slidell City Council, and elected and city officials were in attendance.

The project included the installation of equipment that provides wireless internet at the following four parks: Veterans Memorial Park (including the tennis courts and baseball field), Ducksworth, Possum Hollow, and Griffith parks.

The City of Slidell funded this project through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program which provides annual grants to develop viable urban communities. The total cost of the project was approximately $112,000, and the work was completed by In-Telecom.

Public WiFi will eventually be added to all the city parks, including Heritage, John Slidell, and the neighborhood parks.

For more information about City of Slidell news and upcoming events, you can sign up for our email news list on our website at MySlidell.com or visit the “City of Slidell, Louisiana” on Facebook.

It’s back! Arts Evening returns to Olde Towne Slidell on Saturday, March 19, from 5 to 9 p.m.

One of the largest cultural festivals on the Northshore, Arts Evening features over 100 artists displaying their works at over 40 locations in Olde Towne Slidell. In addition to the artwork, their will be live entertainment; antique, boutique and unique shopping; fine and casual dining and surprises on every corner of Olde Towne.

“It’s been three years since we have been able to have Arts Evening and I know that our citizens are ready to celebrate!” said Slidell Mayor Greg Cromer. “Bring your family and friends and join us for fantastic artwork, live entertainment, shopping and dining in Olde Towne Slidell. It’s going to be a great evening!”

In preparation for Arts Evening on Saturday, March 19, 2022, the City of Slidell is announcing that several streets in Olde Towne Slidell will be closed to traffic during this event.

The street closings will take effect on March 19 from 12:00 to 10:00 p.m. Streets affected include areas of First Street, Erlanger Avenue, Second Street, Bouscaren Street, Cousin Street, Carey Street and Robert Street. Access to the U.S. Post Office in Olde Towne will not be obstructed.

Mayor Greg Cromer invites citizens to come view the works of over 100 artists and arts organizations that will be on display at over 30 locations throughout Olde Towne during Arts Evening, plus live entertainment from 10 different bands, antique and boutique shopping, and casual and fine dining at participating locations.

Citizens should not park within the Arts Evening street closure area on Saturday, March 19 from 12 to 10 p.m. For public safety, bollards will be placed throughout Olde Towne and any vehicles left inside the bollards will not be able to leave Olde Towne until 10 p.m. when the bollards are removed.

For more information about Arts Evening, please visit the city’s website at MySlidell.com or call the Department of Cultural & Public Affairs at (985) 646-4375.

It’s back! Arts Evening returns to Olde Towne Slidell on Saturday, March 19, from 5 to 9 p.m.

One of the largest cultural festivals on the Northshore, Arts Evening features over 100 artists displaying their works at over 40 locations in Olde Towne Slidell. In addition to the artwork, their will be live entertainment; antique, boutique and unique shopping; fine and casual dining and surprises on every corner of Olde Towne.

“It’s been three years since we have been able to have Arts Evening and I know that our citizens are ready to celebrate!” said Slidell Mayor Greg Cromer. “Bring your family and friends and join us for fantastic artwork, live entertainment, shopping and dining in Olde Towne Slidell. It’s going to be a great evening!”

For a complete list of participating artists and businesses, please visit the City of Slidell’s website at MySlidell.com. The Arts Evening brochure will be posted several days before the event.

 

Slidell’s favorite parade is back and better than ever!
The 47th annual rolling of this time honored tradition finally comes back to Olde Towne and can not wait for the people of Slidell and the surrounding communities to support this great parade!
If you are interested in putting a float, marching group, band, etc in this parade please go to the Wh Dat Shoppe/ Create Dat on Robert street in Olde Towne to pick up an application. You can also email Robert at slidellstpatparadereg@gmail.com or you can call 985-641-1105 for information.

Congratulations to Nancy Pratt, the Arts Evening 2022 Cover Artist. “Her Rhapsody” has been selected as the winning submission for the Arts Evening 2022 Poster.

Nancy will be at Green Oaks Apothecary during Arts Evening, one of the largest and most celebrated cultural festivals on the Northshore. The event will feature the works of over 100 artists and art organizations at 40 locations throughout Olde Towne Slidell, live entertainment from bands and entertainers, casual and fine dining at local restaurants and antique and boutique shopping.

Nancy Pratt is a multimedia artist and teacher, dance instructor and choreographer, and event coordinator who currently resides on the Northshore of Louisiana. Art mediums include acrylic on canvas, stenciling, collage, photo projects, painted clothing and shoes and holiday headpieces/fascinators-she loves mixed media! She has had the fortune of being selected to do a mural for the City of Slidell as part of the Celebrate Slidell series which is located at the STFPD1 Headquarters. Fancy Nancy was also asked to do a floral remembrance mural for Bella Style Salon which you can see on the exterior of their Olde Towne location and where you can also find her art on walls of the interior too.

Her latest body of work, reflected in the chosen Arts Evening poster, starts with a base of vintage sheet music collaged and painted on canvas, then covered with a portrait of a celebrated music artist in liquid acrylic and sealed for protection. The series is called “Rhapsody in Hues.” Inspired by music icons, the title “rhapsody” meaning: an effusively enthusiastic or ecstatic expression of feeling. And “hues” describes each painting having their own monochromatic colors; all the colors (tones, tints, and shades) of a single hue. She works from her home studio, showroom and through Etsy but plans on having a local shop in the near future. See more art & ArtByNancyPratt Etsy shop info at thefancynancy.com. Stay updated with the latest headpiece classes, adult workshops and children’s summer camps on her website and social media outlets: Fancy Nancy Pratt LLC.

The Arts Evening festivities take place on Saturday, March 19, 2022, from 5 to 9 p.m. in Olde Towne Slidell. Signed prints of the Arts Evening poster will be sold during the event.

“I am honored to be selected as the Arts Evening poster artist for 2022. During the past few years since our last event, I’ve grown and evolved so much as a person and an artist. Through play, practice and persistence, I’ve developed a new body of work, ‘Rhapsody in Hues,’ that I am eager to share at Arts Evening,” said Pratt. “I am so thankful for the love and support from my family, local community and loyal customers that I appreciate this opportunity to represent Slidell and share my passion for art and culture.”

The City of Slidell, the Olde Towne Arts Commission (OTAC) and the City of Slidell’s Commission on the Arts are proud to announce the upcoming Arts Evening exhibition, “George Dunbar: A Retrospective” opening on Friday, March 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Slidell Cultural Center at City Hall.
This is the first solo exhibition for Mr. Dunbar, Slidell’s premiere artist. His work is in the collections of the British Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney Museum, as well as prestigious galleries from New York to New Orleans. The Retrospective exhibit will include quintessential works from his private collection, including rare pieces from his early decades and recent figurative works.
“Mr. Dunbar is a world-renowned artist and we are honored that he is displaying his works here in his hometown of Slidell,” said Slidell Mayor Greg Cromer. “George was an integral part of creating the Slidell Commission on the Arts and the city’s Cultural Affairs Department, designing the gallery for the original Slidell Cultural Center, and creating a rich cultural atmosphere here in Slidell. I know that our citizens are grateful for the numerous artistic contributions that he continues to make in our community.”
Guests will have the opportunity to meet the artist at the opening reception. The exhibit will also be open during Arts Evening from 5 to 9 p.m. on March 19.
The Slidell Cultural Center is located at 2055 Second Street in Olde Towne Slidell. The exhibit will remain on display through April 22. Gallery Hours are Mondays through Fridays, from 12 to 4 p.m. To view the exhibit during gallery hours, call the Department of Cultural & Public Affairs to make an appointment at (985) 646-4375. Admission is free.
For more information about George Dunbar, please visit his website at GeorgeDunbar.com and his site at Callan Contemporary at callancontemporary.com/artists/george-dunbar/biography.

The City of Slidell is hosting a Public Meeting for a proposed skate park in Slidell on Wednesday, March 9, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Slidell Municipal Auditorium Meeting Room, located at 2056 Second Street in Olde Towne Slidell.

“We’ve heard you loud and clear, Slidell!” said Mayor Greg Cromer. “I have talked to many skateboarders in our community over the last several years about a skate park, and we are exploring different options for a skating facility in Slidell. We want to hear from the skating community about what features they would want in a skate park. I encourage everyone to join us for this public meeting.”

For more information about the Slidell Skate Park Public Meeting, please contact the Department of Cultural & Public Affairs at (985) 646-4375.