Black culture’s best policymakers, thinkers, creatives, spiritual leaders, business leaders, health experts, and, of course, musical talents are set to converge on New Orleans this Fourth of July weekend. Essence Festival of Culture,
The festival begins Thursday and runs through Sunday. This year, it celebrates 30 years of entertainment, networking and thought-provoking conversations to inspire solutions to problems facing urban communities. The underlying premise is the same: partying with purpose.
Vice President Kamala Harris will speak with Essence CEO Caroline Wanga during the Global Black Economic Forum at the festival on Saturday. The visit comes as some are calling for a replacement for President Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential frontrunner following his debate with former President Donald Trump. Such in-depth conversations, covering a wide range of topics, can be expected throughout the event.
“This experience was created to celebrate 25 years of Essence magazine, Black womanhood,” said Hakeem Holmes, vice president of culture at the Essence Festival. “Black women created this festival, Black women contributed to this festival. They had a great time at this festival, built relationships and networks – all at this festival – and then they brought home what they learned.”
Since its inception, Holmes said the festival has evolved into a multigenerational event that strives to touch the entire Black family by offering “a little bit of everything for everybody.”
Holmes said the change is thanks to the city having hosted the event every year except for one. In 2006, Houston hosted the festival while New Orleans dealt with the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.
Lisa Alexis, director of Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s Office of Cultural Economy, said Essence’s 30 years have had a $327 million impact on the city.
“It started out as a purpose-driven party, but over the years they’ve expanded it,” Alexis said. “Now we have Black Global Economic ForumA film festival, a wellness area, a marketplace. Our businesses have the opportunity to be part of a vendor market through this partnership, and we are able to share and support each other as our cultural entrepreneurs look to move forward.”
Holmes said it’s contributions like these that help keep the festival relevant.
“Relevance is driven by our relationship with this community,” said Holmes, a New Orleans native. “We’re constantly listening. … We have everything people want to see during this event. We have people coming in to talk about things they can take as actions as next steps when they return home. And, we even have parties!”
Holmes said keeping long-term fans at the festival is always a challenge.
“It’s like expecting something new, while retaining the familiar,” he said. “I think it’s like going to church every Sunday. You’ll hear different sermons by the same people, but for whatever reason, you’ll be touched differently every Sunday. That’s the essence of this festival. It’s a community gathering. It’s a homecoming. It’s a reunion. And I think that’s what attracts people and keeps them engaged.”
Holmes said the festival will be available both in-person and virtually (via essence.com “We’re giving people what they want at a certain time during the day and then at night they can go and have a good time,” he said.
The spectacular event includes a Friday night concert inside the Superdome featuring Bryan “Birdman” Williams and his friends as they also celebrate 30 years of Cash Money Records and its Millionaires. Juvenile, Busta Rhymes, T-Pain, The Roots and Mannie Fresh are scheduled to perform. R&B singers Jacquees and Ari Lennox and country artist Mickey Guyton will also take the stage.
Usher headlines Saturday and is celebrating the 20th anniversary of his “Confessions” album, which includes hits such as “Yeah,” “Burn,” “Caught Up” and “Bad Girl.” “Confessions” has sold more than 10 million units in the U.S. Others scheduled to perform include Charlie Wilson, Ayra Starr, Big Boi, Donell Jones, Lloyd, Method Man, Sheila E. and TGT — the trio consisting of Tyrese, Ginuwine and Tank.
Usher performs during halftime of the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game in Las Vegas on February 11, 2024. Usher will headline the 30th Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans in 2024. Photo credit: Eric Gay
Janet Jackson will headline the final night on Sunday. Victoria MonetKeke Palmer, Tedra Moses, Tank and the Bangas, Dawn Richards, SWV, Jagged Edge, Bilal and Anthony Hamilton will also perform. The four-day event will conclude with the return of the All-White Party and a special tribute to Frankie Beverly and Maze, curated by Grammy Award-winning producer and songwriter, Bryan-Michael Cox. Beverly has said he is stepping away from performing live, and the group is on a farewell tour.
For the festival’s first 15 years, Frankie Beverly and Maze closed out the event with a huge performance that drew thousands to watch sing along to the group’s hits, including “Before I Let Go,” “Joy and Pain” and “Happy Feelin’.” In 2010, a new event producer ended the tradition, much to the disappointment of many festival-goers, while talents such as Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige and Lionel Richie were called in for the finale.
“It’s our big send-off to Frankie and Maz,” Holmes said. “It’ll be a mix of her singing and other people singing for her. It really will be a bring-you-flowers moment.”
Holmes said this year organizers wanted to celebrate significant accomplishments.
“To see both Usher and Janet on the same stage. Such pioneers in their genre. What we’re seeing in this 30th year is a passing of the torch in culture and music. To have Victoria Monét on the same night with Janet. That’s what you’ll see night after night. A chronology of shows that reminisce, that speak to multiple generations and give people what they want to see,” he said.
