By James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D.
The 2025 Essence Festival is over. Revelers, partygoers and tourists have all returned home. They made life-long memories in The Big Easy.
The streets were packed, the restaurants were full, and the shops were crowded. The economy in New Orleans was the beneficiary.
Prior to the event, the city pulled out the red carpet for the expected visitors. The media gave it the much-needed hype and acclaim that The Essence Festival so richly deserved.
Having fireworks on the Mississippi river on July 4th only added to the allure and the appeal of Essence. Those in attendance were treated to a spectacular light show.
New Orleans was waiting to exhale as day 1 started. The celebration made the days turn into nights and now all the performers and visitors are out of sight.
Those that attended The Essence Festival have had a minute to reflect upon their experience in New Orleans. I suspect there were more smiles than frowns. There are probably a lot of people who made friends here and are now on social media.
Were there folks who didn’t think they got their money’s worth? I suspect there was a percentage of people who felt that way.
The positive feedback outweighed the negative comments made about this event that has now become international in scope.
Can The Essence Festival get better and be better? The answer is yes. Isn’t that the goal for every major event held in any city, large or small?
Take for example, New Year’s festivities in Times Square in New York. I am sure they are looking at this year’s event and trying to enhance next year’s event. The same could be said about the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Chicago. Officials are looking at the low points and trying to make improvements for the 2026 parade.
It is no different than what the Essence leaders are doing now. That’s a part of the recap and the evaluation. They are taking under advisement the comments made by those who attended The Essence Festival.
Those in charge have already cited concerns about overall attendance. This could be due to the current economic climate in this country. Starting and ending times of performances were also mentioned in written posts. The number of performers each evening may have to decrease. Having more “name” acts may have to be considered. We’ll see.
Sponsorships will be reviewed to determine whether they can contribute more resources to the event. It does take money to make money is a time-honored expression.
The overarching question at the stage door is what tweaks and adjustments can be made for next year? Will there be additional stakeholders at the planning table?
The Saturday event at the Morial Convention Center has always been a big draw for people. The young and the seasoned all come out to purchase goods and services along with attending workshops.
There were some big names there this year. Among those was the cast of Beyond The Gates, the CBS daytime soap opera.
There are three things for certain; we’ll all pass away, we’ll continue to pay taxes, and The Essence Festival will be in the city of New Orleans for years to come.
The state of Louisiana is fortunate to have The Essence Festival in New Orleans. It pumps millions of dollars into the local and state economy. The Bayou State is certainly better off because it has a city that can host this yearly event.
We drove through the streets of downtown New Orleans, and the traffic was bumper to bumper. People came here by automobile, plane and train. Make no mistake, the city of New Orleans and The Essence Festival are inextricably bound. There were some hiccups this year however it wasn’t indigestion. People still had a wonderful time. We will see you here next year to celebrate the joy and happiness of The Essence Festival.
