By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Picture credit score: Mattel, Inc.
Serena Williams is already a Grand Slam tennis champion.
Subsequent month, the 23-time main champion will grow to be a serious toy icon.
Former world No. 1 Serena Williams will obtain the inaugural Barbie Dream Fest Icon Award on the first ever Barbie Dream Fest, going down March 27–29, 2026, in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
The Barbie Dream Fest Icon Award honors leaders, creators, and changemakers who embody the spirit of chance.
Impressed by the Barbie model’s legacy of empowering women to unlock their limitless potential, “this prestigious recognition celebrates people who break obstacles, redefine expectations, and encourage others to dream with out limits. Icon Award recipients symbolize the center of Dream Fest: empowerment, authenticity, and the fearless braveness to cleared the path,” Mattel introduced.
“Barbie has all the time stood for dreaming with out limits,” Serena Williams stated. “She reveals women in every single place they are often athletes, leaders, creators – something they think about.
“I’m so excited to be a part of the first-ever Barbie Dream Fest, the place it’s all about celebrating the legacy of Barbie and galvanizing the following era to consider they are often something.”
As this yr’s honoree, Serena Williams will seem in an unique dwell dialog for conference visitors and take part in a restricted picture alternative made obtainable to pick out go holders.
Along with Serena Williams, the model introduced “Barbie Dream Fest will welcome a unprecedented lineup of inspiring function fashions spanning sports activities, science, vogue, and storytelling who can be featured on panels and interactive applications, in addition to autograph, picture op, and meet and greet alternatives with followers:”
- Angel Reese – WNBA star, NCAA champion, host of the favored Unapologetically Angel podcast, and cultural icon defining a brand new period of athletic excellence and confidence.
- Dr. Swati Mohan – Aerospace engineer and NASA Mission Operations lead for the Perseverance Rover touchdown on Mars.
- Ibtihaj Muhammad – Olympic medalist, entrepreneur, and barrier-breaking fencer who impressed the primary hijabi Barbie.
- Madison Marilla – Digital creator, autism advocate, “Love on the Spectrum” forged member, and voice of a brand new era celebrating self-expression, creativity, and confidence.
- Emily Calandrelli – Emmy-nominated science communicator, New York Instances Bestselling writer, and host of Xploration Outer Area and Emily’s Marvel Lab, inspiring children in every single place to embrace STEM.
- Robin Gerber – Bestselling writer, historian, and knowledgeable on feminine management, recognized for Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World’s Most Well-known Doll and the Girl Who Created Her.
- Chef Becky Brown: Grasp Chef finalist, Chopped Champion, and the Government Chef behind the Malibu Barbie Cafe
Tickets for Barbie Dream Fest are on sale now at BarbieDreamFest.com.
Serena Williams’ Barbie Dream Fest Icon Award comes about seventh months after older sister Venus Williams was honored along with her personal Barbie Doll.
The doll depicts Venus sporting all-white attire in tribute to her 5 Wimbledon championships and the very fact she was an important voice in Wimbledon paying ladies equal prize cash to males.
The Venus doll is a part of the Barbie Doll’s “Inspiring Ladies” assortment and hit main retailers final August fifteenth.
