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ESSENCE Festival
July 4 - July 7
$165.00
Since its 1995 debut, the ESSENCE Festival has helped shape, define, and celebrate African-American music and culture. Held every July 4 weekend at New Orleans’ Superdome, the multi-day event initially was meant to be a one-time affair to celebrate the 25th anniversary of ESSENCE magazine.
But it proved to be such a powerful — and empowering — experience that it returned the following year, and has since grown into one of the U.S.’s biggest and most acclaimed annual festivals. “The party with a purpose” includes a stacked lineup of music’s biggest names in hip-hop, R&B, soul, funk, and gospel, as well as several free panels and workshops, plus vendors focused on beauty, health and wellness, entrepreneurship, and more. It features five stages — the main stage as well as four standing-room-only “super lounges” throughout the Superdome. While you’ll need to purchase tickets to catch the music, anyone can check out the free daily activities and panels held throughout the weekend.
The first ESSENCE Festival in 1995 drew more than 142,000 people who showed up to see music legends like Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, and B.B. King perform. Fans also could attend free empowerment seminars hosted by the likes of Rev. Jesse Jackson and Cornel West.
Since then, the event has grown exponentially. In fact, the 2016 edition brought in more than 450,000 people, and it’s only gotten bigger from there. The event has been held in New Orleans every year except 2006, when it made a temporary move to Houston, Texas, as the Crescent City was recovering from the damage of Hurricane Katrina.
Throughout the years, there have been many memorable performances, like when Prince took over the main stage dressed in a wig and fake goatee in 2004, and when Beyoncé made her festival debut in 2001 with trio Destiny’s Child. She’s since stolen the show a few more times as a solo superstar.
In 1997, saxophonist Kenny G became the festival’s first white headliner, and 10 years later, Democratic presidential nominees Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton both made an appearance. In 2019, the festival celebrates its 25th anniversary in New Orleans over the July 4 weekend with performances by Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige, Nas, H.E.R., Pharrell Williams, and others.
