One Weekend. Generations Together. A Celebration of Who We Are.

The Convention begins Thursday evening with Welcome Night, hosted by the local BCA-USA chapter.

Each host chapter brings its own creativity to the evening, giving members a taste of the city while welcoming them into a familiar BCA-USA family atmosphere.

It is an evening for reconnecting, eating, laughing, dancing, meeting new people, and simply enjoying being together again. Traditional attire, storytelling, folktales, and other cultural experiences become part of the celebration.

The most meaningful part is seeing multiple generations together. Our elders share stories, adults reconnect, and children make their own Convention memories.

Friday evening transforms into one of the signature experiences of Convention weekend: the BCA-USA Charity Gala.

Members and guests dress in their formal best, walk the red carpet, enjoy cocktails and dinner, reconnect with friends, and unite for a greater purpose: giving back to the Bali Nyonga Community.

The Charity Gala provides an important platform for fundraising in support of initiatives benefiting our communities. Over the years, the generosity of BCA-USA members and supporters has contributed to projects and initiatives including the Bali Multipurpose Center, purchase of ambulances, and educational and back-to-school efforts, among others.

The evening also celebrates service. Awards and special recognitions honor members, chapters, and committees whose dedication and contributions have strengthened BCA-USA. From individual achievement to outstanding service, it is our opportunity to say thank you to those who continually go above and beyond.

Special recognition is also given to VIP Donors whose generosity helps transform ideas into impact.

Saturday evening belongs to the host chapter. It is a night for the chapter to create a unique gala experience for both BCA-USA members and the surrounding local community.

Themes, entertainment, special programs, community guests, recognition, dining, music, and dancing ensure that each year’s celebration is unique and memorable.

It is the host chapter’s moment to say:

Cultural Night on Sunday evening shines as the crown jewel of the BCA-USA Convention weekend. The room comes alive with vibrant traditional regalia, as the native tongue of Mungaka fills the air. The melodic notes of xylophones and the heartbeat of drums echo in unison. Here, children, parents, and elders unite, sharing the same stage of cherished cultural memory, weaving a tapestry of heritage that binds generations together.

The ballroom is elegantly transformed, adorned with traditional décor that reflects our vibrant fabric prints gracing the tables and the stage. At the center stands the Nkong Nfon, a powerful cultural emblem that symbolizes the esteemed presence of HRH Dr. Doh Ganyonga III, the paramount Fon of Bali Nyonga. Cultural elders and title holders sit gracefully on either side, one step below, embodying respect and tradition. This stage, rich with symbolism, powerfully sets the tone for the dignity of our culture and the protocols that are honored throughout the evening.

Members arrive proudly dressed in traditional attire, families capture photographs together, and the evening unfolds through customary traditions, music, dance, storytelling, performances, and cultural presentations.

Chapters and cultural groups showcase their talents, while invited African cultural communities may also share their traditions, making the evening both a celebration of Bali Nyonga and our connection to the broader African diaspora.

For our children and younger generations, Cultural Night offers something particularly important: an opportunity not simply to be told about their heritage, but to see it, hear it, wear it, speak it, and participate in it.