Fast Facts about the B.B. Club
Location: Vicksburg, Mississippi
Type of Venue: Off-site, historic building
Capacity: 700 guests
Nearby Accommodations: Margaritaville Hotel Vicksburg
Contact Info
601-636-0008
visitvicksburg.com/bnai-brith-club-meetings
When the B’nai B’rith Literary Club began in 1871, it met in private homes around Vicksburg, Mississippi, with the mission of growing its young Jewish members both intellectually and socially. Increased member success in the local area led to higher numbers, and the club soon needed to find a permanent home to host its gatherings.
In 1905, the club erected a wooden structure that lasted 10 years before burning down in 1915. The members decided the next building needed to stand the test of time and set to work constructing a building out of carved limestone and marble. More than 650 members of the literary club dedicated the building in 1917 with a large ballroom, a poker room, a restaurant and Vicksburg’s first indoor swimming pool.
The building changed hands in 1967, transitioning from a gathering space to a police station where offices and evidence rooms replaced the open floor plans and meeting rooms. The building was left abandoned for a short time in the 1990s before Vicksburg natives Laurence Leyens and Dan Fordice purchased it and restored it to its former glory. The building reopened after a $1.3 million renovation, once again taking its place in Vicksburg as a space for gathering and enriching the lives of the men and women who entered.
Today, visitors of the B.B. Club can once again walk the striking marble stairs that have welcomed guests for the past century before heading to any of the beautifully appointed meeting spaces. The club is open for meetings and events and features a library, a parlor, a billiards room, a dining room, a ballroom and a rooftop space available for rent. The updated space now includes a state-of-the-art kitchen where the on-site catering team prepares food for meetings during all hours of the day.
The history and grandeur of the space add to the signature charm and ambiance of historic Vicksburg, where meeting and event guests are transported back in time to an era of lavish affairs and community gatherings while enjoying the space’s updated amenities.
Meeting Spaces
Meeting groups can book the entire B.B. Club or simply a portion of the facility, depending on the space requirements for the specific event. The meetings and events teams offers separate packages that combine certain rooms, such as the upstairs Ballroom package, for up to 400 guests; the Library, Parlor, Billiards Room and Dining Room package, for up to 175 guests; the Library and Parlor package, for up to 55 guests; the Library, Parlor and Billiards Room package, for up to 165 guests; and the Riverview Rooftop package, for up to 75 guests. The Riverview Rooftop is available as an addition to any package , or it can be booked separately from the venue.
Catering
The B.B. Club offers full-service catering for meetings and events held within — and above, when renting the rooftop — the walls of this historic building. The catering team can craft personalized menus for groups of up to 700 guests, but it also offers a range of menus and food station options suitable for seated or buffet dinners and cocktail receptions. Favorite menu items include Southern staples like seafood gumbo, jambalaya, mini muffaletta sandwiches, spicy shrimp pasta and the club’s famous red beans and rice. Carving stations and seafood bars are also popular choices. Alcohol is available with full bar service.
After Events
Before and after events, guests can explore downtown Vicksburg, just a short walk from the B.B. Club’s front door. Vicksburg’s downtown has four museums and 10 home tours that include access to some of the city’s most preserved antebellum properties. The downtown district offers world-class dining options as well as ample opportunities for shopping, antiquing and strolling through the many art galleries of the area. The town is also home to the Vicksburg National Military Park, where groups can book a guided tour of the park.
Extras
The B.B. Club’s beautiful and restored meeting and event spaces provide an elegant backdrop for memorable receptions, luncheons, banquets and dinners where meeting planners can create a classy yet cozy atmosphere for each event with little effort involved. The club’s rental fees include use of the site’s many tables, chairs, white linens, china, drinking glasses and setup, as well as all serving pieces used for the event. Meeting planners can also rent the club’s beautiful chair covers and specialty linens.
