MOST AND ALL FLIGHTS ON TIME RIGHT THERE. THE ANNUAL. FOR ALL THOSE TRAVELERS AND I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF TRAVELERS COMING INTO TOWN FOR THE ANNUAL ESSENCE FESTIVAL AS WELL, WHICH IS NOW UNDERWAY HERE IN THE BIG EASY. IT IS A THREE DAY EVENT HIGHLIGHTING WOMEN EMPOWERMENT, FASHION, HEALTH AND BEAUTY. AND WHILE THE EVENTS ARE FUN, IT BRINGS A BIG ECONOMIC BOOST TO THE CITY. WDSU S DUKE CARTER TAKES US WHERE ALL THE ACTION IS HAPPENING. I WAS ARE BEGINNING TO THICK AS ESSENCE FEST GETS UNDERWAY. SO MUCH SO YOU EVEN HAVE POLICE DIRECTING TRAFFIC. TRAFFIC IS JAM PACKED AT THE CONVENTION CENTER. LINES OF CARS WITH LOCALS AND TOURISTS STRETCHED FROM POYDRAS ALL THE WAY TO THE INTERSTATE. HOW’S THE FOOD? THE FOOD IS DELICIOUS. WHAT YOU EAT, WHAT YOU HAVE. I HAD THE BARBECUE SHRIMP AND GRITS. ALEXIS JONES FROM SOUTH CAROLINA IS ONE OF THOUSANDS ENJOYING ESSENCE AND SEEING WHAT THE CRESCENT CITY HAS TO OFFER, WHICH INCLUDES GOOD FOOD. THIS IS MY THIRD TIME COMING, SO I WANTED TO COME AGAIN. I NEEDED A VACATION ANYWAY. IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE. THE ONE YEAR THAT WE WERE OPEN AND THEY WEREN’T HERE, WHICH HAD TO DO WITH THE HURRICANE, WE. WE ENDED UP CLOSING BECAUSE THERE WAS NOBODY IN TOWN AND SMALL LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES AT THE CONVENTION CENTER ALSO SAY THE FESTIVAL IS GOOD FOR THEM, LIKE BRAND AWARENESS. ABSOLUTELY. OUT OF THIS WORLD. IT PUTS OUR BRAND ACROSS THE NATION. ESSENCE IS KNOWN ALL OVER. EVERYBODY KNOWS. EVERY YEAR ESSENCE IS COMING TO NEW ORLEANS. THE FESTIVAL IS A SHOT IN THE ARM FOR THE CITY, A GOOD BOOST FOR IT. BASED ON 2024 IMPACT, THE FESTIVAL HAD A $346 MILLION IMPACT, OVER 2000 JOBS AND CONTRIBUTED TO NEARLY 50 MILLION IN FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL TAXES. TOURISM LEADERS SAY HOTELS BENEFITED AS WELL. I MEAN, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT 80% TO 85% OCCUPANCY IN THE DOWNTOWN HOTELS, SURELY THERE’S A LARGE ECONOMIC IMPACT. PEOPLE ARE EATING, DRINKING, SHOPPING, ENJOYING THEMSELVES ALL OVER THE DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR, WHICH IS WHY BUSINESSES ARE OPTIMISTIC. ESSENCE WILL RENEW ITS CONTRACT TO KEEP THE FESTIVAL. AND BIG EASY ESSENCE AIN’T GOING AWAY. THIS IS HOME. IT’S BEEN HOME FOR ESSENCE FOR OVER 35 YEARS, AND IT’S GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE HOME. THERE’S SOME BIG NAMES THAT’S EXPECTED TO TAKE PART OF ESSENCE FEST THIS YEAR INCLUDE CARDI B, THE VOCAL BIBLE, BRANDY AND FORMER FIRST LADY MICHELL
Essence Festival brings crowds and economic impact to New Orleans
The annual Essence Festival in New Orleans celebrates women empowerment, fashion, health, and beauty while generating millions in economic benefits for the city.
The Essence Festival has begun in New Orleans, offering three days of events focused on women empowerment, fashion, health, and beauty, while providing a significant economic boost to the city. Crowds are thickening as the festival gets underway, with police directing traffic near the convention center. Traffic is jam-packed, with lines of cars stretching from Poydras Street to the interstate as locals and tourists arrive. Alexi Giles, a visitor from South Carolina, is among the thousands enjoying the festival and sampling the city’s food. “It feels delicious,” Giles said when asked about the food. “I had the barbecue shrimp grits.” “This is my third time coming, so I wanted to come and get . I needed a vacation anyway,” Giles added. Small, locally owned businesses at the convention center are also benefiting from the festival. “Oh, it makes all the difference,” one business owner said. “The one year that we were open and they weren’t here, which had to do with the hurricane, we ended up closing because there was nobody in town.” Another business owner highlighted the festival’s impact on brand awareness. “Absolutely. It fits our brand across the nation. Essence is known all over. Everybody knows every year Essence is coming to New Orleans.” The festival’s economic impact is substantial. According to a 2024 impact report, Essence Festival contributed $346 million to the local economy, created over 2,000 jobs, and generated nearly $50 million in federal, state, and local taxes. Tourism leaders noted that hotels benefited significantly. “I mean, when you think about 80% to 85% occupancy in the downtown hotels, surely there’s a large economic impact. People are eating, drinking, shopping, enjoying themselves all over the downtown corridor,” one leader said. Many businesses are optimistic that Essence will renew its contract to remain in New Orleans. “Essence ain’t going nowhere. This is home. It’s been home for Essence for over 35 years, and it’s going to continue to be home,” one business owner said. Big names expected to perform at the festival include Cardi B, Brandy, and former first lady Michelle Obama.
The Essence Festival has begun in New Orleans, offering three days of events focused on women empowerment, fashion, health, and beauty, while providing a significant economic boost to the city.
Crowds are thickening as the festival gets underway, with police directing traffic near the convention center. Traffic is jam-packed, with lines of cars stretching from Poydras Street to the interstate as locals and tourists arrive.
Alexi Giles, a visitor from South Carolina, is among the thousands enjoying the festival and sampling the city’s food. “It feels delicious,” Giles said when asked about the food. “I had the barbecue shrimp grits.”
“This is my third time coming, so I wanted to come and get [away]. I needed a vacation anyway,” Giles added.
Small, locally owned businesses at the convention center are also benefiting from the festival. “Oh, it makes all the difference,” one business owner said. “The one year that we were open and they weren’t here, which had to do with the hurricane, we ended up closing because there was nobody in town.”
Another business owner highlighted the festival’s impact on brand awareness. “Absolutely. It fits our brand across the nation. Essence is known all over. Everybody knows every year Essence is coming to New Orleans.”
The festival’s economic impact is substantial. According to a 2024 impact report, Essence Festival contributed $346 million to the local economy, created over 2,000 jobs, and generated nearly $50 million in federal, state, and local taxes.
Tourism leaders noted that hotels benefited significantly. “I mean, when you think about 80% to 85% occupancy in the downtown hotels, surely there’s a large economic impact. People are eating, drinking, shopping, enjoying themselves all over the downtown corridor,” one leader said.
Many businesses are optimistic that Essence will renew its contract to remain in New Orleans. “Essence ain’t going nowhere. This is home. It’s been home for Essence for over 35 years, and it’s going to continue to be home,” one business owner said.
Big names expected to perform at the festival include Cardi B, Brandy, and former first lady Michelle Obama.