Essence Fest is the Ultimate Celebration of Black Culture: Tips to Be Prepared
What is Essence Festival and What Makes it So Special?
Essence Festival 2024 is celebrating Black excellence and music July 4 - 7 in New Orleans during the fest’s 30 year anniversary this year! This is one of my favorite annual festivals because it’s the first one that I attended and absolutely fell in love! Since my first time in 2017 the event just keeps getting better and better!
Essence Festival is an annual music festival that celebrates the culture, energy and music of Black people. People are most familiar with the Evening Concert Series where I’ve seen amazing performers like Mary J. Blige, India.Arie, John Legend, Jhene Aiko, Tweet, Trombone Shorty and Chance the Rapper. But, the festival offers so much more. Essence Festival was founded in 1995 by “Essence Magazine” to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the publication. It takes place every Fourth of July weekend in New Orleans and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world.
If you’ve never been to Nawlins in the summer, the heat and humidity make it feel like you’re in a dishwasher 🥵 but it’s still an amazing experience. The city itself is the epicenter of American music which can be seen from all the drummers, brass players and bands performing on Bourbon St. In addition to being the birthplace of jazz and blues, its home to Louis Armstrong, Mahalia Jackson, Lil Wayne, PJ Morton, Fats Domino, Master P, Jon Batiste and so many more. When you add an event that is created just to celebrate Black people, there’s a secret sauce that can’t be replicated.
Essence Festival has historically consisted of two main components: the daytime events and evening concerts. The daytime events are held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center for free and include seminars, workshops, panels and activities that cover topics such as beauty, fashion, health, wellness, finance, entrepreneurship, education and social justice. The daytime events also feature celebrity appearances, book signings, product demonstrations, and giveaways.The evening concerts that I mentioned earlier are held at the Caesars Superdome, and they require tickets to attend. Historically, the event was seen as something for the aunties but in the past few years, CEO of Essence Ventures, Caroline Wanga, has expanded the focus of the festival to provide something for everyone.
Jhene Aiko and daughter Nami performing at Essence Fest 2017
One of the newer events is Essence GU (Girls United) Kickback for young women. Last, year Ken the Man and 504IcyGirl performed at the Kickback. AfroPunk has also been brought into the Essence family of brands and hosts a Krewe Ball, a nod to NOLA culture, each night during the festival. Essence “In His Zone” Men’s Experience was added in 2022 and provides a space for men to enjoy each other’s company and discuss everything from fatherhood and sports to self-care and travel. There is a also family day each year for everyone to enjoy.
Essence Festival is one of the largest and most influential events in the Black community, and it has been recognized by various media outlets, awards, and honors. Essence Festival is more than just a festival, it is a celebration of black excellence, culture, and joy. The festival also supports the local economy and community. In 2022 the event contributed $327 million in economic impact and 3,605 jobs as reported in Dillard University’s Economic Impact of 2022 Essence Festival of Culture.
Now that you know all the reasons that Essence Fest is THAT festival, here are some tips for you to get ready for this year’s Essence Fest.
Tips for Essence Festival
Book your room now.
Some Essence veterans book their room before leaving New Orleans in July. Prices for events always go up after the lineup is released, so be sure to get your hotel locked down. To keep things simple, you can book with the map below.
Follow Along
Check out the Essence Fest website and follow Essence Festival on your favorite social media platform so you can stay informed one upcoming events and subscribe to A Vibe Called Fest for more in-depth info.
Wear light clothing.
Summer heat and humidity will have you wishing you were wearing a swimsuit. Dress accordingly.
What’s that Tyla Song?
Water!! Heat, humidity and an open container law mean you’ll need to stay hydrated to make it through the day.
Sway in the Morning interview with Essence Ventures CEO, Caroline Wanga
A Vibe Called Fest keeps you up-to-date with all the important information for festivals and cultural events centered around Black people. Subscribe and check out our FesTEAval Blog posts and the Next Fests list.
