Each July, Essence Fest draws thousands to the city of New Orleans in an extravagant family reunion, joining together the vast and unique melting pot of Black culture into a grand celebration built for all. Like years past, this year’s festival embraced annual traditions while also introducing new experiences for attendees to enjoy. Essence Fest continues to draw new audiences annually, as well as bring back longtime attendees who have made it a tradition to be a part of the festivities year after year, journeying along with the growth and change of the festival.
Essence Fest often makes headlines for its star-studded musical appearances, such as this year’s concerts by Cardi B and Kehlani, but beyond that, various installations filled the weekend. From panels to pop-ups, Essence Fest once again served as a homecoming, built to uplift all who attended regardless of age and interests.
This year’s festival included over 20 subsections, offering unique spaces for attendees to interact and become fully immersed in meaningful conversation and unique experiences. This included a film festival, food and wine festival, podcast festival and so much more. One of these well-loved and returning installations for Essence Fest was BeautyCon.
Every year, BeautyCon draws in a crowd of hair, skin care and cosmetic-loving attendees to explore activations by loved brands such as Mielle, Camille Rose and more. On the main BeautyCon stage, panels fueled the discussion, creating somewhere guests could not just connect with their favorite brands, but also be a part of the conversations surrounding the industry.
The panelist lineup did not fall short, featuring music headliners such as Cardi B and Teyana Taylor. Eni Popoola, a popular content creator within the beauty realm, also took the stage, sharing her experience growing an online following in a candid conversation about the skills that helped her make it where she is, serving as an inspiration and mentor for aspiring content creators in the audience.
Discovering and shopping Black-owned brands across various categories was at the fingertips of Essence Fest attendees who took a stroll through the We Love Us Marketplace. Here, shoppers could expect to find products from beauty to clothing from nearly 200 different Black-owned brands. This experience brought not only exposure, but financial gain back into the pockets of Black businesses.
Brands included That Good Good Shea, a body care brand developing products using shea meant to address skin dryness. Other shops included Vanity by Alexis, an accessories boutique selling beautifully upcycled handbags crafted out of cigar boxes.
The New Voices Foundation played a major role in Essence Fest with programming specifically curated to help grow emerging entrepreneurial talent. The New Voices Village brought together Essence Fest attendees growing a business for powerful conversations and skill development. This included an entrepreneurship panel, networking opportunities and conversations regarding what it takes to build a legacy.
Beyond fuel for the mind, three finalists in the New Voices NOLA POWER PITCH competition were awarded $25,000, $15,000 and $10,000 prizes for their growing business ventures, making a lasting investment into the success of these Black-founded companies.
Despite the greatness that Essence Fest brings, conversations regarding the organization’s financial standing came into question leading up to this year’s festival. Earlier this year, unpaid fees of more than $400,000 to the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center from the 2025 Essence Festival made headlines. This sparked concerns over the status of this year’s festival but, ultimately, did not appear to have any major effects on the lineup of activities.
Beyond a place to gather and celebrate, Essence Fest returns each year with a purpose to uplift and invest in the Black community that pours into it. Whether that is through grants, job opportunities, discussion panels or simply creating a space where people can come to be seen, heard and celebrated, it remains one of the most influential events for celebrating Blackness in all forms.
This year’s moment has come and gone, but its impact continues to resonate with those who attended as the countdown to Essence Fest 2027 begins.
