What happens when celebrities, international entertainers and tourists from all over invade the city of New Orleans… it becomes the most epic Essence Music Festival experience ever! Over 540,000 attendees from around the globe descended upon New Orleans this Fourth of July weekend for the 19th annual ESSENCE Festival, making 2013 the largest in the event’s 19 year history. (It’s no wonder why Priceline.com has listed New Orleans, LA the most searched destination for 4th of July Weekend!)
The epic weekend included:
The All-New ESSENCE Family Reunion Day hosting more than 55,000 people in Woldenberg Park featuring empowerment panels, family-friendly games and activities, exciting musical guests, delicious food from New Orleans’ best barbecue vendors, cooking competitions, fireworks and exciting musical guests.
First-ever partnership with MSNBC to broadcast live throughout the weekend from the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, featuring shows PoliticsNation and Melissa Harris Perry, among others.
First official ESSENCE Festival App garnered 14,500 downloads and tripled ESSENCE mobile consumption throughout the weekend. Plus, ESSENCE Festival was trending across social media, e.g. close to 50,000 Instagram posts and more than 24,000 uses of #essencefest on Twitter
An incredible performance by Beyonce to a packed Superdome stadium to close out the Festival, plus headliners Maxwell, New Edition, Charlie Wilson, Brandy, Jill Scott, Janelle Monae, Trey Songz, Keyshia Cole and many others – comprising more than 50 R&B, pop, and soul artists across 5 stages each night at the Superdome.
One of music’s biggest weekends has come to a close, but the excitement is still going strong! Check out some of our favorite celebrity moments, performances and candids of Essence Music Festival Weekend below…
Photos via Essence.com
Sponsors of the 2013 ESSENCE Festival™ include presenting sponsor Coca-Cola and major sponsors Ford, McDonald’s, My Black Is Beautiful, StateFarm, Verizon and Walmart as well as official sponsors MSNBC, Coors Light, TV One and Visa Prepaid.
Did you check out the Essence Music Festival weekend fun in New Orleans or online? Share some of your favorite moments below!
