NEW ORLEANS — Essence Fest is back and better than ever for their 30th birthday celebration. Thursday, the Essence Festival of Culture kicked off its event and previewed some of the fun to come while also appreciating the journey to 30 years of celebrating Black culture.
"There’s not much in my life that has been around for three decades, other than my life. That’s no easy feat in the world the way it is today, and part of that is because of where we are, the cultural mecca called New Orleans," Caroline Wanga, CEO of Essence, said.
While they're going all out for their birthday party, they're also honoring the city that's helped get them there – New Orleans.
At Thursday's kick-off event, they gave a glimpse into New Orleans culture with things like cooking demonstrations, immersive art that represents the city, and lessons from some of the most iconic culture bearers- the Black Masking Indians.
"Thank you for understanding the city of New Orleans is second to none not only in the United States of America but throughout the world," Mayor Cantrell said. "There’s not other culture as rich as this culture right here."
"We thought about all the ways we could demonstrate Black birthday behavior and all the things, was to make sure we acknowledge the headliner that mattered the most – which is this city and I want to start by stating we are interested in continuing to go together we ain’t breaking up," Wanga said.
Cantrell said Essence Fest brings about 500,000 people to the city and has an economic impact of about $300 million. Plus, she said this year, the event is returning to pre-COVID numbers.
The events at the convention center don't start until Friday morning, but before you get into the festivities, Mayor Cantrell wants to remind everyone to stay hydrated and stay safe.
"We know that we are experiencing extreme heat, so stay hydrated," Mayor Cantrell said. "We have all of our unified commands prepared to keep all corners of our city safe."
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