|
|website = [http://www.essencefestival.com/ Essence.com]
|attendance=500,000}}
The '''EssenceESSENCE Festival''', known as "the party with a purpose", is an annual music festival which started in 1995 as a one-time event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Culture''[[Essence (magazine)|Essence]]'', a magazine aimed primarily towards [[African-American]] women. It becameis the largest African-American culture and music event in the United StatesUS.<ref name=MSN>{{cite web|url=http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/07/05/msnbc-at-essence-festival-a-view-from-studio-square/ |title=MSNBC at Essence Festival: a view from Studio Square | MSNBC |publisher=Tv.msnbc.com |date=2013-10-13 |access-date=2015-11-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/52401265/ns/local_news-new_orleans_la/%23.UddQ6eCf_ww#.UddQ6eCf_ww |title=Street closures possible downtown during Essence Fest, city officials say|website=Nbcnews.com |access-date=27 January 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130705231606/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/52401265/ns/local_news-new_orleans_la/%23.UddQ6eCf_ww#.UddQ6eCf_ww |archive-date=5 July 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://tv.broadwayworld.com/article/MSNBC-to-Broadcast-Live-from-2013-ESSENCE-FESTIVAL-20130614 |title=MSNBC to Broadcast Live from 2013 ESSENCE FESTIVAL |publisher=Tv.broadwayworld.com |date=2015-11-17 |access-date=2015-11-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/10/arts/music/essence-music-festival-with-mary-j-blige-in-new-orleans.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0|title=Essence Music Festival with Mary J. Blige|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=2015-11-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/essence-msnbc-team-for-2013-fourth-of-july-weekend-festival |title=Essence, MSNBC Team For 2013 Fourth Of July Weekend Festi | Shadow and Act |publisher=Blogs.indiewire.com |date=2013-05-20 |access-date=2015-11-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/28/business/media/on-the-concert-stage-bet-festival-offers-a-broad-brand-experience.html|title=On the Concert Stage Bet Festival Offers a Broad Brand Experience|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=2015-11-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|title = 2007 Essence Music Festival 'Coming Home' to New Orleans July 5, 6, 7
|url = http://www.crt.state.la.us/ltgovernor/media_view.aspx?id=192
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101204195114/http://www.crt.state.la.us/ltgovernor/media_view.aspx?id=192
|archive-date = 2010-12-04
}}</ref>
}}</ref> Locally referred to as the '''Essence Fest''', it has been held in [[New Orleans, Louisiana]], since 1995 except in 2006, when it was held in [[Houston, Texas]], due to [[Hurricane Katrina's effect on New Orleans]] and 2020 when it was cancelled. A spinoff iteration of the festival was also held in [[Durban|Durban, South Africa]], in November 2016. The festival features artists simultaneously performing on a main stage as well as four standing-room only superlounge stages.
The annual music festival started in 1995 in [[New Orleans, Louisiana]] to celebrate the 25th anniversary of ''[[Essence (magazine)|Essence]]'' magazine. The festival features artists simultaneously performing on a main stage as well as four standing-room only stages.
In 20082006 it was held in [[Houston, forTexas]], thedue firstto time[[Hurricane sinceKatrina's itseffect 1995on inceptionNew Orleans]], and the 2020 festival was notcancelled produceddue byto the original [[Impresario|producerCOVID-19 pandemic]] team. Instead,A Essencespinoff Communications, owneriteration of the festival andwas theheld in [[Essence (magazine)|''Essence''Durban]] magazine, contracted[[South RehageAfrica]] Entertainmentin Inc 2016.
In 2013, Solomon Group became the producer of Essence Festival,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2016/07/12/485707057/essence-this-time-a-festival-evolving|title=Essence This Time: A Festival Evolving|work=NPR.org|access-date=2017-08-04|language=en}}</ref> and [[MSNBC]] broadcast live from the Essenceevent Festivallive.<ref name="MSN" /><ref>{{cite web|first=Morgan|last=Whitaker |url=http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/07/05/steve-harvey-talks-success-and-manhood-at-essence-fest/ |title=Steve Harvey talks success and manhood at Essence Fest |publisher=MSNBC |access-date=2015-11-23}}</ref> MSNBC returned for the 2014 festival.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/msnbc-growing-hope-the-essence-festivaltm |title=Growing Hope at the ESSENCE Festival™ |publisher=MSNBC |access-date=2015-11-23 }}</ref> Much of the 2017 film ''[[Girls Trip]]'' was filmed on location during the 2016 festival, casting over 5,000 extras.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-07-02 |title=Casting for 'Girls Trip' During Essence Fest |url=https://www.centralcasting.com/casting-extras-girls-trip-essence-fest/ |access-date=2020-10-02 |website=Central Casting |language=en-US}}</ref> ▼
Essence announced its return inIn 2022 to live event with [[The Walt Disney Company]] servingserved as the exclusive entertainment sponsor.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Osbourne |first1=Aussie |title=Walt Disney To Be Exclusive Entertainment Sponsor Of 2022 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture |url=https://www.aussieosbourne.com/2022/06/walt-disney-to-be-exclusive.html |website=Aussie Osbourne |publisher=Aussie Osbourne |access-date=3 June 2022}}</ref> ▼Starting 2013, Solomon Group became the Producer of Essence Festival.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2016/07/12/485707057/essence-this-time-a-festival-evolving|title=Essence This Time: A Festival Evolving|work=NPR.org|access-date=2017-08-04|language=en}}</ref>
▲In 2013, [[MSNBC]] broadcast live from the Essence Festival.<ref name="MSN" /><ref>{{cite web|first=Morgan|last=Whitaker |url=http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/07/05/steve-harvey-talks-success-and-manhood-at-essence-fest/ |title=Steve Harvey talks success and manhood at Essence Fest |publisher=MSNBC |access-date=2015-11-23}}</ref> MSNBC returned for the 2014 festival.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/msnbc-growing-hope-the-essence-festivaltm |title=Growing Hope at the ESSENCE Festival™ |publisher=MSNBC |access-date=2015-11-23}}</ref>
2020 saw the event get cancelled with the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] to blame; the 26th is deferred to 2021, virtually.
▲Essence announced its return in 2022 to live event with [[The Walt Disney Company]] serving as sponsor.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Osbourne |first1=Aussie |title=Walt Disney To Be Exclusive Entertainment Sponsor Of 2022 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture |url=https://www.aussieosbourne.com/2022/06/walt-disney-to-be-exclusive.html |website=Aussie Osbourne |publisher=Aussie Osbourne |access-date=3 June 2022}}</ref>
Much of the 2017 film ''[[Girls Trip]]'' was filmed on location during the 2016 festival, casting over 5000 background actors<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-07-02 |title=Casting for 'Girls Trip' During Essence Fest |url=https://www.centralcasting.com/casting-extras-girls-trip-essence-fest/ |access-date=2020-10-02 |website=Central Casting |language=en-US}}</ref> with several scenes filmed afterward to recreate elements of the festival.
==Concert line-up==
|