STORY SLAM! at 100 Men Hall, Feb 1, 2026 @ 5:30PM
Bay Saint Louis, MS - The 2026 HOMEGROWN event will feature a very special presentation of the ARTS Hancock County’s quarterly “STORY SLAM” with Honey Parker Books on Feb 1, 2026 at 5:30PM wrapping up HOMEGROWN’s jam-packed and expanded 4-day schedule. The event is free and open to the public. Cash/credit bar.
Different venue. Same Great Story Slam Flavor. For the next Slam, the Arts Hancock County is joining forces with 100 Men Hall and the Library Foundation of Hancock County’s 4-day book event, HOMEGROWN. With Homegrown’s focus on storytelling, it’s a perfect match.
What is a Story Slam? Think, poetry slam without the rhyming. Each Slam features stories that are humorous, touching, revealing, and poignant. And with every story told, we become more connected to those around us. Storytellers have 5-ish minutes to tell a true story they personally experienced, based on the theme chosen for the event.
Our February theme is: “Surprise!” Stories can range from that time you tried to surprise a friend only to be surprised right back, to that ring you didn’t see coming, to the time that guy who never comes through, actually did.
Don’t have a story to share? (For the record, we know you do.) Come enjoy the tales of others. Story Slams are always filled with laughter, a few tears and, of course, a one or two surprises.
To accommodate a potentially larger crowd than usual, we’ll be moving this Slam to the historic 100 Men Hall.
HOMEGROWN will present a full day of books & authors on Saturday, January 31st when more than 30 acclaimed & award-winning authors gather on the University of Southern Mississippi’s lovely Gulf Park Campus in Long Beach.
Check out the entire HOMEGROWN 2026 schedule, Thursday, January 29th through Sunday, February 1st, beginning with the first-ever live on-stage show of the popular Thacker Mountain Radio Hour. Thacker Mountain can be heard throughout the state on the Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB), “THINK RADIO” network.
Based in Bay St. Louis and supported through funding from the Library Foundation of Hancock County, HOMEGROWN is produced through a partnership of the four library systems that service the three counties that comprise the Mississippi Gulf Coast region – from Slidell, Louisiana, to Mobile, Alabama.
HOMEGROWN is free and open to the public
and runs from January 29 through February 1, 2026.
The historical 100 Men Hall, a famed stop on the Chitlin' Circuit, a Must See Venue by Rolling Stone Magazine, winner of the 2024 MS Governor’s Award for Excellence for Arts in the Community, a rare site on the MS Blues Trail, is maintained and preserved under a 501c3 nonprofit organization (Hundred Members Debating Benevolent Association, est. 1894). The Hall is supported by its membership organization 100 WOMEN DBA, as well as from the generosity of sponsors and donors. The 100 Men Hall is the only endowed African American landmark in Mississippi.Additional information about the venue’s history and other activities can be found on https://100menhall.com or by emailing 100menhall@gmail.com.