The Annual Essence Festival in New Orleans, presented by Coca Cola, is one of the nations largest live events. Each year, the festival draws nearly 500,000 attendees who gather for three days of music, entertainment, empowerment and culture.
Now in its 24th year, the Essence Festival has featured some of the biggest names in entertainment and the nations most influential speakers, authors and leaders, including Beyoncé, Alicia Keyes, Prince, Janet Jackson, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, Usher, Mary J. Blige, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Kahn, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Rev. Al Sharpton, Deepak Chopra, Ava Duvernay, Magic Johnson and many more.