This week's CIAA basketball tournament is bringing big opportunities for Black-owned businesses in Baltimore. 

Visit Baltimore, the city's tourism organization, is celebrating the city's rich Black culture and navigating paths for visitors to explore.

"Folks come here and enjoy the basketball but they also enjoy our small businesses, especially our Black-owned businesses in Baltimore," said Al Hutchinson, the President & CEO of Visit Baltimore. "It really uplifts the community. It gets people excited about coming out and supporting the student athletes." 

The CIAA is the oldest Black athletics conference in the country. Its men's and women's basketball tournaments run through March 1.  

Baltimore is the host of the CIAA Tournament for the fifth year after moving from Charlotte. For a full week, thousands of fans and alumni are celebrating their Historically Black Colleges and Universities in one setting.

However, the impact goes far beyond the basketball court.

Al Hutchinson, from Visit Baltimore, is using the momentum to highlight Black entrepreneurs through the "Bop pass." Bop, slang for a long walk, is a free digital passport offering discounts at more than 40 local businesses, museums, and restaurants.

"We really want to push them all over Baltimore, celebrating the greatness of the Black business community in the city, and earn some points while you do it, have fun with it," Hutchinson said. 

One of those Black businesses showcases is Black Acres Roastery in Lexington Market. 

"It gives us an opportunity to be on a larger platform and to showcase what we do as a local business, just not for the local people, but the people that are coming in and may not make it here," said Travis Bell, the founder of Black Acres Roastery.

And, don't miss out on Harp Vision, a vegan home and body care business created to find natural solutions to everyday skincare needs.

"We offer vegan soaps, plant-based skin cream, and deodorant and lip balm as well," said April Harper, the co-founder Harp Vision.

The CIAA Tournament is a major boost to tourism in the Baltimore area. In 2024, the week-long events generated $32.55 million.

"This brings visibility to our business and other small businesses as well," Harper said.

CIAA Week is not just about selling products, but it's also about the community by showcasing Charm City's diversity and bringing people together.

"Just being able to work with other makers in Baltimore, to showcase what we do and the hard work that we put into our businesses here in Baltimore," Bell said.