(Black PR Wire) NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- It’s about that time for the nation’s largest festival by per day attendance to turn up in the heart of New Orleans! The 2023 ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ presented by Coca-Cola® is bringing Hip-Hop heat to the French Quarter like never before with a special celebration of Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary during the night, while keeping it cool during the day with our lineup that has a little something for everyone to “laissez les bons temps roule!” From sunrise to sundown, the 2023 festival is serving a full plate of entertainment, empowerment, and education. Festival-goers can download the all-in-one ESSENCE experience app to access our free daytime experiences in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, special deals, exclusive content, and tailored schedules across a range of interests from music, wellness, films to economic empowerment.

Now check this out – for the very first time in the nearly three-decade relationship between the ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ presented by Coca-Cola® and the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, the festival is taking over the entire Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Get ready for the hottest lineup of performances, summits, and panels that'll have you vibing like you're at the front row of our evening concert series. The entire ecosystem of the Essence Ventures portfolio of brands will come together to create an unforgettable Daytime Experience including the debut of Beautycon™, AFROPUNK and ESSENCE Studios at this year’s festival. These powerhouse brands are about to make some serious waves through experiences like:

• AFROPUNK BLKTOPIA*
• ESSENCE Authors™
• Beautycon: ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ Edition*
• ESSENCE Stage™
• ESSENCE Studios Film Festival™
• ESSENCE Food and Wine Festival™
• ESSENCE Get Lifted™: Gospel Celebration
• ESSENCE In His Zone™: Men’s Experience
• ESSENCE Community Corner™
• Soko Market™ Powered by ESSENCE
• Soko NO.LA™ Powered by ESSENCE
• ESSENCE Wellness House™
• ESSENCE Girls United Creators House™*
• ESSENCE Global Black Economic Forum™
• ESSENCE Family Day™: The Block Party

*New experience for 2023 ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ presented by Coca-Cola®

Select highlights at this year’s festival includes:

• Soko NO.LA™ powered by ESSENCE will host several Black-owned retail and food vendors, in one location during the festival to celebrate and showcase upwards of fifty local Black businesses.
• The Global Black Economic Forum welcomes trailblazers making history in every part of the culture including TV host and actress Sherri Sheppard, Abbott Elementary actors Sheryl Lee Ralph and Tyler James Williams, as well as Reverend Al Sharpton. For a second year in a row, Vice President Kamala Harris and senior Biden-Harris Administration officials will meet us in New Orleans to discuss ongoing efforts to advance equity and opportunity for Black Americans and communities across the country.
• ESSENCE Girls United Creators House™ is the place to be during the four-day festival for self-expression and creativity with celebrity speakers and appearances from India Love, London Zhiloh, Tasha McCaskiel, DJ Spinelli, Antoine Gregory and more!
• ESSENCE In His Zone™: Men’s Experience is a dedicated experience for the fellas featuring all the vibes with speakers such as one of the biggest bosses in the game Rick Ross and Hip-Hop stars Jim Jones and Maino, along with Lance Gross, Cortez Bryant, and more.
• ESSENCE Family Day™: The Block Party will celebrate our forever home of New Orleans, right in the heart of the oldest Black neighborhood in the United States, Tremé. The ultimate reunion for everyone in the family will feature local vendors, food, and honor the range of the community’s music scene, from bounce with the Soul Rebels alongside special guest Big Freedia, brass with The Original Pinettes Brass Band, to soul with Tonya Boyd-Cannon and many more, in Armstrong Park.
• Started by award-winning artist, DJ, and producer D-Nice as a revolutionary virtual club that safely brought millions together to experience community amidst the isolation of the pandemic, Club Quarantine has been a global rhythmic respite. A multigenerational and multi-genre experience, D-Nice’s Club Quarantine fosters global community and connectivity. Since its inception, Club Quarantine has been a cultural linchpin, serving as a catalyst for innovation in music and social media to create a wholly unique event. Now, Club Quarantine will come offline again for Club Quarantine Live After Dark, a special three-night event series with D-Nice, celebrating music, life, and love in New Orleans as a part of this year’s festival.

Hulu will once again return as the festival’s Official Streaming Destination, offering nightly shows June 30 – July 2 to subscribers at no extra costs. Those tuning in can catch exclusive virtual-only content and highlights from daytime experiences, as well as epic live performances from Ms. Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliott, Megan Thee Stallion, recently added musical guests Janelle Monáe, Juvenile and many more!

For the full list of on-site experiences and to purchase tickets in the Crescent City, please visit the 2023 ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ presented by Coca-Cola® website at www.ESSENCEFestival.com. Join the conversation on social @ESSENCEFest or experience this year’s festival online at ESSENCE.com.

ABOUT ESSENCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

Essence Communications is the number one—and only 100% Black-owned—media, technology and commerce company at scale dedicated to Black women and communities. With a community of more than 31 million Black women, ESSENCE inspires a global audience through diverse storytelling and immersive original content rooted in Culture, Equity and Celebration. The brand's multi-platform presence in publishing, experiential and online encompasses its namesake magazine; digital, video and social platforms; television specials; books; and signature live events, including Black Women in Music, Black Women in Hollywood, ESSENCE Black Women in Sports, Fashion House, Street Style and the ESSENCE Festival of Culture™.

Source: Essence Communications