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New Orleans, LA

North America

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# Essence Music Festival – Premier Music Event, Empowerment Gathering, New Orleans
The Essence Music Festival, held annually in New Orleans, LA, is a vibrant celebration of music, culture, and empowerment, drawing thousands of attendees from around the world. Known for its rich history and community focus, the festival showcases a blend of musical genres while emphasizing the importance of Black women's empowerment. With a diverse lineup of artists, engaging seminars, and a lively atmosphere, the festival has become a staple in the summer calendar, offering attendees an unforgettable experience filled with joy, inspiration, and community spirit.

## History
### The story of Essence Music Festival
The Essence Music Festival was founded in 1995 as a celebration of African American culture and the empowerment of Black women. Originally conceived as a one-time event, it quickly grew in popularity, transforming into an annual gathering that attracts a diverse audience. The festival's founding vision was to create a platform that not only showcases musical talent but also addresses social issues affecting the African American community, particularly women.

### Milestones and growth
- **1995**: The inaugural Essence Music Festival takes place in New Orleans.
- **2000**: The festival expands, incorporating more artists and events.
- **2005**: Celebrates its 10th anniversary with record attendance.
- **2010**: Introduces empowerment seminars alongside musical performances.
- **2020**: Adapts to virtual formats due to the global pandemic, maintaining engagement with audiences.

### Cultural and local influence
The Essence Music Festival has significantly influenced New Orleans' cultural landscape, contributing to the local economy and promoting the city as a destination for cultural tourism. It highlights the rich musical heritage of the region while fostering a sense of community among attendees. The festival has also inspired local artists and businesses, creating opportunities for collaboration and growth within the community.

### Continuing the tradition
As the festival approaches its 30th anniversary, it continues to evolve while staying true to its roots. The Essence Music Festival remains committed to empowering Black women and celebrating African American culture, ensuring that each year's event reflects the changing dynamics of society while honoring its foundational principles.

## Community
### Community involvement
The Essence Music Festival actively engages with the local community, partnering with various organizations to promote empowerment and economic development. Local businesses benefit from the influx of attendees, and many community members participate in the festival as vendors, performers, or volunteers. This involvement fosters a sense of pride and ownership among residents, reinforcing the festival's role as a community-centered event.

### Community notion about the place
Attendees often describe the Essence Music Festival as a "party with a purpose," emphasizing its dual role as a celebration of music and a platform for empowerment. Many locals view the festival as an opportunity to showcase their culture and hospitality, welcoming visitors to experience the vibrant spirit of New Orleans. However, some critiques highlight the commercialization of the event, urging organizers to maintain a focus on genuine empowerment rather than superficiality.

### Events and gatherings
Throughout the festival, various events and gatherings take place, including concerts, workshops, and panel discussions. These events provide attendees with opportunities to engage with influential speakers, participate in meaningful conversations, and connect with others who share similar values. The festival fosters a sense of community, encouraging attendees to network and collaborate on initiatives that promote social change.

## Offerings
### What Essence Music Festival offers
The Essence Music Festival offers a diverse array of experiences, from live music performances to empowerment seminars. Attendees can enjoy a rich lineup of artists across multiple genres, participate in workshops that address social issues, and explore vendor booths featuring local businesses and products. The festival creates an inclusive environment where everyone can celebrate and learn.

### Dining and food experience
Food is a significant aspect of the Essence Music Festival, with numerous vendors offering a variety of culinary delights. Attendees can indulge in traditional New Orleans cuisine, including gumbo, jambalaya, and po-boys, alongside contemporary offerings. The festival's food options cater to diverse tastes, ensuring that everyone can find something to enjoy while experiencing the local culture.

### Events and packages
The festival features a range of events and packages designed to enhance the attendee experience. From VIP concert tickets to access to exclusive seminars, attendees can choose from various options that suit their preferences. The festival also hosts free events, ensuring that everyone can participate, regardless of budget.

### Facilities and features
- Multiple concert venues
- Empowerment seminar spaces
- Food and beverage vendors
- Merchandise booths
- Accessibility services

## Pros and Cons
### Key insights from reviews
Reviews of the Essence Music Festival highlight a mix of experiences, with many attendees praising the vibrant atmosphere and musical performances. However, some critiques focus on organizational issues and the perceived commercialization of the event. Overall, the festival garners a range of opinions, reflecting the diverse experiences of its attendees.

### Compliments and strengths
Many attendees commend the Essence Music Festival for its exceptional musical lineup, featuring both established and emerging artists. The sense of community and empowerment is often highlighted, with attendees appreciating the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions and connect with others. The festival's cultural significance and its role in promoting Black women's empowerment are frequently praised.

### Contrasts and notable mentions
While the festival is celebrated for its music and community spirit, some reviews point out areas for improvement. Issues such as overcrowding, long lines, and communication challenges regarding entry requirements have been noted. Additionally, some attendees express disappointment with the focus on commercial sponsorships, suggesting that the festival should prioritize genuine empowerment over superficial marketing.

### Summary evaluation
The Essence Music Festival remains a significant cultural event, offering a unique blend of music, empowerment, and community engagement. While it faces challenges related to organization and commercialization, the festival's core mission of celebrating Black culture and promoting empowerment continues to resonate with attendees. Overall, the festival provides a valuable platform for connection and celebration.

## Location & Nearby Attractions
The Essence Music Festival takes place at the Louisiana Superdome, located at 1500 Poydras St, New Orleans, LA 70112. This central location is easily accessible and surrounded by numerous attractions, including the French Quarter, local restaurants, and cultural landmarks. Visitors can explore the rich history and vibrant culture of New Orleans while enjoying the festival's offerings. The Superdome's location makes it convenient for attendees to immerse themselves in the city's lively atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience.

## FAQs
**What is the Essence Music Festival** The Essence Music Festival is an annual celebration of music and empowerment, focusing on African American culture.  
**Where is the festival held** The festival is held at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, LA.  
**What types of events are featured** The festival features concerts, seminars, and vendor showcases.  
**Is there food available at the festival** Yes, a variety of food vendors offer local cuisine and other options.  
**How can I participate in the festival** Attendees can purchase tickets for concerts and workshops or attend free events.  

## Visit Essence Music Festival Today
The Essence Music Festival invites you to experience a celebration of music, culture, and empowerment in the heart of New Orleans. With its rich history and community-focused initiatives, the festival offers a unique opportunity to connect with others while enjoying a diverse lineup of performances and engaging discussions. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a returning visitor, the Essence Music Festival promises an unforgettable experience that celebrates the spirit of community and the power of music. Join us for this vibrant event and be part of a legacy that uplifts and empowers!


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Totally unorganized. The spaces were too small for stars. You have to register to attend the expo. This is my last EMF.

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I guess my take on the Essence Festival is two-fold. The MUSIC was the highlight of my visit. Having so many genres of music to enjoy at so many different venues throughout New Orleans, large and small, was awesome. But... The premise of the Essence Festival being some sort of gathering promoting "Black Women's empowerment", in my opinion, is a lie. In fact it does just the opposite. Instead of promoting self-love and self-acceptance, all the booths and kiosks of cosmetics and hair and nails do nothing but tell Black women they aren't enough. It screams that we need make up and weave/wigs and nails, and BBL's to be beautiful. A lot of the speakers talk a good game about empowerment, but then again most of them are promoting self-help books or podcasts. If I wanted to see a "real speaker" speaking on "real issues" like voter registration and engagement, education, criminal justice reform, promoting and uplifting women's small businesses...I had to buy a ticket. What that told me is that the Essence Festival is all about the superficial. You can get all the superficial you want, but if you want some realness you have to pay for it. As a Black woman I was enraged at what this event portrayed as women's empowerment. To see women standing in line for HOURS to get a "goodie bag" of make up samples (that they had to pay for)...or to buy expensive celebrity brand sunglasses and shoes that they really can't afford, instead of supporting a local small business and thus supporting a struggling community...made me angry and sad. The superficial was celebrated while real, substantive women's empowerment was nowhere to be found. This was a $5,000 3-day weekend for my husband and I and can honestly say I was very disappointed with every aspect of Essence...except the music. I won't be back.

7ad4b2a0-5e13-4831-aded-88694765dd84

Beautiful Peoples. Happy Saturday . Great Vibes everywhere. Lots of smiles and positivity.

29c3b94d-5cd3-490f-9864-ed25a33cd2c1

A fantastically organized event. Flawless in my opinion! Great food vendors, happy locals, elated out of towners, amazing performances, TONS of things to do at all times of the day. Nothing short of a good time!!!!! The only downfall is that you can't see all the shows at the same time!

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Their guest relations will not respond to emails. They are not clear about their requirements to enter. One email said vaccine cards or covid test another email said vaccine cards. Thus is disappointing as we have 8 tickets and are traveling from as far as 600 miles.

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Essence 2018 experienced the aftermath of the movie Girls Trip that came out a little before or after essence 2017. There was over 500, 000 people reportedly in town during essence weekend. This year I've seen in increase of people between 18-25 years old. When they did roll call at the concert people born in the 90s, 80s, 70s, 60s, and 50s all screamed! It was a diverse group of ages. Event is predominately attended by African Americans women then black men, about 95%-97% of the attendees, and this year it was a little more diverse with people of other ethnicities and races, and more younger people- young adults. A lot of church groups this year and party buses from NC,FL and other surrounding states. I think everyone , from all walks of life had a good time and experience! There were stories on the news where a company by the name of Empire scammed some ladies out of $5000 for a vip essence trip that didn't exist. So be aware of scammers out there and do your research . I stayed at a hotel on the river walk which is easily accessible to the trolley, mall, French quarter , convention center, and 10 blocks from superdome. If your looking to step right out your hotel door into a party or multiple late night options for eating then stay in the French quarter and close to bourbon street. Be aware. Super crowded and congested and probably no sleep from the noise or from partying yourself. The food overall is delicious, reasonable prices! I'll say most are very good, some just tourist traps! So read your yelp reviews. There's plenty of shopping to do and freebies to have. So pack light , pack a poncho and mini umbrella, and leave space for lots of souvenirs. Away from essence festival , Attend a cooking class at nola school of cooking, enjoy a boat party, use a petty cab if you don't want to walk or ride on a vehicle, eat at Dragos for the grilled oysters , eat Neyows hush puppies and jazzy wings which are to die for! Try aleast 1 restaurant outside of French quarter. Now back to Essence, I had a very good time. The event keeps getting bigger! It's a party with a purpose, but as things typically gets bigger something start to change good and bad. I was told Essence festival use to be at a park back in beginning of its inception. It is becoming more commercial with the big sponsorships. At the concert,although I like to enjoy a Diet Coke from time to time, there were too many commercials played on the screen. There was a live gospel and reggae remix performance on stage singing about Coca Cola. Walmart and atnt was there too. I appreciate their support but I paid hundreds of dollars to see a concert. Tickets can be very expensive especially if you have to buy single night tickets if miss out on the 3 day or weekend ticket sell. On On average , from section 500 next to the ceiling to front row seats, nightly tickets can be anywhere from $150 to $1500 / night! I would grately appreciate if there are less or no commercials at a live concert. They should keep all of that at the convention center during the day time and the free events. I would have liked to have seen more artists performing on the main stage at the concert . I think they need to find a way to balance it. Or cut some of the sponsorships. Also the microphones went out too many times while artists were on stages and during the Ford give away car contest. Sound engineer needed to be replaced ASAP. At one time it was out for 7-10 minutes. But not For Ms Janet Jackson ! Her engineer made sure no mishaps. Missy Elliot was great! Dougie Fresh and Teddy Rile were great as well! Blackstreet was there but didn't sing with Janet Jackson on their collaborated song? It was good see the ladies and legends of hip hop such a Queen Latifah, YoYo , MC Lyte and Salt n Pepper ! My final thoughts is this, I think it would have been full circle to have Tiffany Haddish or the ladies as a group be the host of this year essence. I felt that was missing. The movie revenue $100 million dollars and bought the younger crowd and hundreds of thousands of more people to Essence this year! Also, the line up could have been a little better. More better. It is my thought , and I wonder with all the corporate sponsorships and Essence has become more commercial, I really wonder how much longer is it going to be owned by Essence magazine itself. I really appreciate the magazine, the festival for bringing people from around the world to party with a purpose, empowerment segments , network opportunities, and most importantly Essence giving back and investing in New Orleans communities and businesses. Keep up the good work Essence,don't loose sight of the vision and purpose, find a way to balance it all, learn what worked or didnt work this year, and improve it for next years 25th Anniversary and beyond ! If you never been before, Go! Overall you'll have a good time ...just plan ahead!

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Essence is the premier music event of the summer! People flock here in the heat of summer just for this. If you like seeing celebrities you can def catch some of them here as there are so many famous faces that come to Essence. I saw Solange, Beverly Johnson, Craig Robinson, LL Cool J, and Anthony Anderson. I'm not into celebrities but if that's your cup of tea then this festival is great for that. The music lineup is generally really great especially on the main stage. Beyoncé closed out the show Sunday night and it was even better than her Superbowl halftime show this yr. The food is a bit pricey but you can find good food for $7-8 which isn't bad at all. Of course eating at the Superdome has great variety compared to other stadiums around the country. You can get crawfish etouffee, jambalaya, gumbo, ribs, brisket, po-boys, burgers, hot dogs, and more at the Dome. Essence has been going strong in NOLA for many years and it is one of the biggest events in the city each year!

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I love love being empowered at Essence Festival. It is a feast for the body, mind and soul. It is truly a Party with a Purpose!

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First time here and it is an overwhelming experience. So much to do and buy and be a part of. I didn't buy tickets to see the bigger headliners at the Superdome because I don't necessarily enjoy large crowds anymore; however, I love that Essence sees the value in empowering African American women by embracing our culture and lifestyle. I will; however, try to ingratiate myself more at these types of events for personal and cultural growth. Lots to learn! I didn't get a chance to attend any of the symposiums at the convention center as I'd hoped but I did see a couple performances. Beedy Bee and Gina from Martin were performing and Tamela Mann took us to the King with a greater performance. Coca-Cola was the main sponsor and represented well with huge stage platforms and presence everywhere. Sirius XM, Disney, AT&T, State Farm, Ford and the main Essence center stage performance area had nicely decorated and inviting exhibit booths. There were also about 100 small business vendors promoting and selling their Afro-centric products. Lots of photo booths and live health and beauty sessions. Much to do if you're willing to wait in long lines and much fun for everyone throughout.

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"A party with a purpose" is what it is commonly referred to as. This event is open to EVERYBODY from EVERYWHERE. People travel from all over the world to visit this city filled with devine culture. I had the pleasure of seeing Janet get down, Beyonce shake it, Kanye go off, New Edition reunite, Dougie Fresh beatbox for 10minutes, local artist Kourtney Heart do the K heart dip and Maze on all white Sunday. The food selection is wonderful. There are so many options to induldge in. It will cost you, just be prepared. Seminars are also held at the convention center during the Fest. If you love R&B music, you should attend and support the local econony.

Experience the vibrant Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, LA. Enjoy unforgettable live music, rich culture, and Southern hospitality. Book your adventure now!

Essence Music Festival in New Orleans | Live Music & Culture

New Orleans

Essence Music Festival

Louisiana

Join the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans for unforgettable music, culture, and entertainment. Located at 1500 Poydras St, Louisiana Superdome. Book your tickets now!

Essence Music Festival Experience – Music & Culture in New Orleans

Discover the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, a celebration of music, culture, and community at the Louisiana Superdome. Experience the vibrant spirit of NOLA!

About Essence Music Festival, New Orleans

Opening hours for Essence Music Festival at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans. Find event times and plan your visit to enjoy the best of music and culture.

Essence Music Festival Menu Overview

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