Free heart health screenings come to New Orleans' Treme neighborhood ahead of cardiology conference
Before 60,000 cardiovascular professionals descend on New Orleans for the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session later this month, the ACC is bringing something more immediately useful to the city: free heart health screenings in a neighborhood that needs them.
What the health fair offers
The New Orleans Health Fair takes place Saturday, March 21, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. CT at the Treme Recreation Community Center (900 N. Villere St., New Orleans, LA 70116). It is free and open to the public.
Services include blood pressure screenings, heart health blood tests, educational sessions on cardiovascular wellness, healthy snacks, and raffles. The event is a collaboration between the ACC's Health Equity Activities Work Group, the ACC Louisiana Chapter, community partners, and local universities.
ACC President Christopher Kramer, New Orleans City Council Member JP Morrell, and Tulane University cardiologist Keith C. Ferdinand are among the speakers.
Who should attend
The event is especially relevant for anyone with a family or personal history of diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, heart failure, or any form of cardiovascular disease. These conditions disproportionately affect communities with limited access to preventive care, and early detection through routine screening remains one of the most effective tools for reducing cardiovascular mortality.
The choice of the Treme neighborhood - one of the oldest African American neighborhoods in the United States - reflects the ACC's stated goal of strengthening ties with community organizations and addressing disparities in heart health outcomes.
The bigger picture
Community health fairs are not a substitute for ongoing primary care, and a single blood pressure reading or blood test has limitations. But for individuals who have not seen a healthcare provider recently or who lack insurance coverage, these events can serve as an entry point - identifying risk factors that might otherwise go undetected until a cardiac event occurs.
The health fair serves as the kickoff to ACC.26, the Annual Scientific Session taking place March 28-30 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The fair is supported by Edwards, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, and Omron.
More information is available at www.ACC.org/HealthFair.