“Last week I was thinking if only we could bring bloggers to New Orleans to see it for themselves and a conference on what is happening,” blogger Scout Prime wrote in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. “I think we’d see more posts on the Crescent City.” That wish came true as bloggers came together in 2006 to track the post-Katrina recovery the inaugural Rising Tide conference. Rising Tide has become an annual event and returns Saturday the state of the recovery, this time to the Howlin’ Wolf.

This year’s keynote speaker is reporter Mac McClelland, who has been covering the BP oil spill for Mother Jones. The oil spill will also likely be the focus on an environmental panel, and that panel – like the others – brings together experts in the field as well as bloggers who’ve focused on the field. Police Chief Ronal Serpas will be part of the Public Safety panel; Jacques Morial, Stephanie Grace and Ringside Politics‘ Jeff Crouere will be part of the Politics panel, and a Treme panel with Eric Overmyer, Davis Rogan and writer Lolis Eric Elie will be moderated by Maitri Erwin, founder of the Back of Town Treme blog.

Registration is $25 in advance.