Essence Fest 2024: The Festival of the Summer Met the Hype

Essence is way more than just a magazine. The iconic publication also hosts an annual celebration in New Orleans called the Essence Festival. Filled with music, celebrities and picturesque moments, the festival is a place where people from all walks of life can connect and enjoy.

We had the pleasure of attending the 30th-anniversary festival over the 4th of July weekend. Below is everything you need to know about it so that you are well-prepared for next year's event.

Tons Of Freebies

If you didn't return home with a bag full of freebies, did you even go to Essence? The festival is overwhelmed with booths from major companies including McDonald's, AT&T and Coca-Cola, all of which handed out free gift bags to those who visited.

One of the biggest standouts this year was Disney, who put on a full spectacular with photo opps inspired by the most iconic attractions from the parts, including the iconic Disney World castle and the Pixar Pier ferris wheel. Before you get to the photos fans were greeted with a Tiana's Bayou Adventure tote bag (which isn't available anywhere else) and complimentary green Mickey Ears to fit with the princess's theme.

 

Also read about: I Tried Making Princess Tiana's Famous Beignets—and Here's What Happened

 

Beautycon

While Disney wasn't anything to sneeze at, nothing could have prepared us for Beautycon. This exhibit made its official debut at the festival last year, but Essence decided to bring it back to the 30th anniversary—and every attendee was ready for it. From L'Oreal to Mielle, some of the biggest beauty brands were giving out samples of their products. Most booths had their founders or spokespeople in attendance, like Cantù's latest ambassador Skai Jackson, who you could interact with after waiting in line.

>Speaking of lines, fair warning that the wait times for these booths ranged between 15 minutes to several hours, so if you do make your way to the festival in the future, plan accordingly (and wear comfortable shoes!).

 

Musical Moments

One of the main reasons why people head down to NOLA for Essence is because the festival never fails to put on a show. Every night, it hosts a concert series featuring some of the biggest names in music as they put on a one-of-a-kind show at the Ceasars Superdome.

The 30th anniversary artists included headliners Usher, Janet Jackson and Victoria Monet. Because of this epic lineup, the tickets were selling out by the minute. Luckily, Essence had those who couldn't grab tickets covered. The convention center featured a plethora of free concerts during the day to stop by and check out on your way to the next exhibit. The performers throughout the weekend included Descendants: Rise of Red star Dara Renee and rising country music singer Reyna Roberts.

 

Speakers

Essence Festival is not just about listening to your favorite songs and getting free products—it's also a massive networking opportunity. Throughout the weekend were speaking engagements where professional authors, content creators and figures in the financial space talked about their companies and personal journeys, giving advice on how others could lead by their example. Even Vice President Kamala Harris was a part of a panel discussion.

 

Also read about: All of Our Favorite Moments From the 66th Annual Grammy Awards

 

Honorable Mentions

To ensure that your first Essence festival trip is incredible, there are a few tips and tricks we picked up from this year's festivities.

First and foremost, water should be your best friend. After standing in long lines and walking around the convention center, make sure you stay hydrated and take breaks when necessary.

Secondly, Essence has a free app called E360 that shows the full schedule for the entire weekend, complete with locations and performance times. Make sure to take full advantage of this information, because you do not want to miss a thing.

Last but not least, if you are not an early bird, you might need to step out of your comfort zone if you want to maximize your time at the festival. The lines filled up within minutes of booths opening and some began running out of freebies by the end of the weekend, so make sure to get to the convention center as early as possible to make sure that your experience is top-tier.

All in all, Essence Festival has proven that after 30 years, it's still got it. It's the perfect summer getaway for any age group, and based on the amount of people who had an amazing time celebrating the 30th anniversary, there's a pretty good chance it'll be back again next year.

 

Can't get enough of conventions? Click HERE to read our interview with producer Dean Devlin for details on the first-ever Electric Con.