Tag: Lifestyle

Birmingham /

Montgomery Announces Exciting Event Calendar for 2017 – 2018

With more fun and exciting events planned for 2017-2018 than ever before, Montgomery is adding to its reputation as one of the newest must-see travel destinations in the South. Offering a diverse roster of festivals and events, there is always something to see and do in this dynamic, riverfront city, whether it is listening to national recording artists perform live at the River Jam Music Festival or exploring the booming craft beer scene at the annual River Bend Brew Festival.

Known for its Southern hospitality and its revitalized downtown, Montgomery was the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement and has established itself as a landmark Deep South destination. Montgomery is adding to its events lineup this year, which features concerts, festivals and a wide array of cultural activities.

“We are proud to offer a jam packed schedule of events for visitors to make unforgettable memories,” shares Vice President of Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Dawn Hathcock. “From music festivals to national athletic competitions, there is something for every visitor coming to Montgomery.”

Below is an overview of annual events held in Montgomery:

Montgomery Restaurant Week, August 11-20, 2017

Coinciding with Alabama Restaurant week, this culinary celebration gives visitors the opportunity to discover new restaurants, dishes and drinks. Featuring amazing deals at some of Montgomery’s best restaurants.  For more information, go to www.eatmgm.com

Buckmasters Expo, August 18-20, 2017

The Montgomery Convention Center hosts a 3-day expo for the deer hunting industry with over 300 exhibitors from around the country. Kids activities, live concerts, demonstrations and lots of special guests will be featured. For more information, go to http://www.buckmasters.com/Resources/Expo

Montgomery Dragon Boat Festival, August 26, 2017

Over 60 teams from Central Alabama and beyond converge on Riverfront Park in downtown Montgomery to compete in this fundraiser which culminates in a dragon boat race. Off the water, browse various goods from local exhibitors and artists. Live music and food from local vendors will also be featured. Don’t miss the inaugural Gun Island Chute SUP CUP standup paddleboard competition on the Alabama River! For more information, go to https://montgomerydragonboat.org/

Broadway Under the Stars, September 7, 2017

The 31st annual Broadway Under the Stars concert will be held lakeside at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. The Montgomery Symphony will perform Broadway classics as attendees relax on blankets and lawn chairs at this free yearly concert celebration. For more information, go to http://www.montgomerysymphony.org/pops-concerts/

Riverwalk Wine Festival, October 14, 2017

Over 100 wineries offer tastings, making the most of Montgomery’s beautiful riverfront park on an early fall afternoon. The event is made complete with live music, food vendors, and discounts on on-site wine purchases. For more information, go to http://visitingmontgomery.com/calendar/event/riverwalk-wine-festival

Raycom Media Camellia Bowl, December 16, 2017

Named for Alabama’s state flower, this college football bowl game annually features a matchup between top teams from the Sun Belt Conference and the Mid-American Conference at the historic Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala. The game is televised live on the ESPN family of networks. For more information, go to http://www.camelliabowl.com/

Anniversary of Hank Williams’ Death, January 1, 2018

The native of Montgomery was the first country music superstar and one of the most important songwriters of the 20thcentury. Each year, his grave hosts a ceremony to commemorate his fascinating life on the anniversary of his death. This year will mark the 65th anniversary of the musician’s passing. For more information, go to http://visitingmontgomery.com/calendar/event/64th-memorial-anniversary-of-hank-williams-death

Montgomery Half Marathon & 5K, March 10, 2018

This annual race takes runners through some of Montgomery’s most beautiful neighborhoods and past many of the city’s most famous landmarks. Featuring live entertainment for both racers and supporters, the Montgomery Half Marathon is one of the top road races in the South. For more information, go to http://themontgomeryhalf.com/

Taco Libre sponsored by Modelo, April 2018 

Alabama’s Taco Festival features a wide assortment of tacos of the state’s favorite local taco joints, restaurants and food trucks, along with plenty of refreshing beer and margaritas and live regional bands. The event is held at “The Yards at Western Rail” a 40-acre venue in a reclaimed train shed and yard. For more information, go to http://www.lightninglinemgm.com/tacolibre/

Alabama Book Festival, April 2018

Since 2006 this event has welcomed book lovers to Alabama’s premier literary event. Thousands of people gather for author readings, book signings, writing workshops and more. For more information, go to http://alabamabookfestival.org/

Alabama Shakespeare Festival Spring Repertory Season, April 25 –  May 6, 2018
Each spring this surprising theatrical find nestled in the exquisite 300-acre Blount Cultural Park achieves a rarely attempted feat – professional repertory theatre featuring Shakespeare and the classics. This year’s season includes Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and Twelfth Night alongside the classic based on Alabama’s own Helen Keller, The MiracleWorker. For more information, go to www.asf.net

Flimp Festival, May 2017

The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts hosts this family-friendly festival which invites folks to Blount Cultural Park for a wide range of art-related activities. For more information, go to http://mmfa.org/visit/flimp-festival/

River Jam, May 2018

Every May, music lovers converge on downtown Montgomery to attend this free two-day event which showcases over 10 live bands. Concerts take place at Riverfront Amphitheatre and Union Station Train Shed. For more information, go to http://visitingmontgomery.com/calendar/event/riverjam-and-riverbend-brewfest

Riverbend Brew Fest, May 2018

Montgomery‘s Annual Riverbend Brewfest features live music, local food vendors and a large selection of local, regional and nationally renowned craft, seasonal, specialty and micro-brewed beers. For more information, go to http://visitingmontgomery.com/calendar/event/riverbend-brewfest

About Montgomery

Situated on the banks of the Alabama River, Montgomery is the capital and the second largest city in the state of Alabama. Established in 1819, Montgomery has been the site of major historic events which have shaped the history of the United States. Emerging from its agricultural roots in the 19th century, Montgomery transformed from the Cradle of the Confederacy to the birth place of the Civil Rights Movement in less than a century. Today, this vibrant river town is experiencing a resurgence which has seen its downtown revitalized and has reestablished itself as a landmark Deep South destination.  Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM) offers non-stop flights on Delta Airlines and American Airlines. For more information, call 334-261-1100 or visit the official website of the Montgomery Convention and Visitor Bureau at http://www.visitingmontgomery.com.  Stay connected with Montgomery on Twitter (@MGMCapitalCool) and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/MontgomeryCapitalCool).

Beauty /

Summer Travel and Getaway Essentials

The summer months are all about quick weekend getaways, so it’s best to stock up on the perfect travel essentials! Make sure you pack your bags full of Sun Bum and John Frieda and listen to experts like Umbreen Sheikh and Sophia Gushee on how to make the most of you short vacation!

Sun Bum Original Sunscreen 

Bigger isn’t always better, so breeze through security with serious sun protection stowed away in your carry on. Just like the full-sized versions, these cute little sunscreens deliver the same premium, ultra-lightweight formula and irresistible beachy smell.

John Frieda Hot Air Brush

Dry and style your hair in just one step with this multi-tasking hot air brush, newly redesigned with a sleeker, 1” ceramic titanium-coated barrel.
Ask the Experts:
Umbreen Sheikh, Founder of Wink Brow Bar

When grooming at home, it’s alright to tweeze a couple of hairs from the middle of the brow but do not touch any hairs that are in line with the nose. If you take a pen or a stick and put it vertically up against the side of your nose you can see where the brow should start on both sides.

Sophia Gushee, detox and wellness expert and author of A to Z of D-Toxing

•Broad-spectrum, which will guard against both UVA and UVB rays
• Water-resistant
• Safer key ingredients include zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, preferably without nanoparticles. If they are not available, then select avobenzone at 3 percent.
Travel /

2018 ESSENCE FESTIVAL – Weekend Getaway

Essence today announced the official dates for the 2018 Essence Festival® presented by Coca-Cola®, which will take place from July 5 – 8, 2018 in New Orleans, LA. Limited advance tickets for the 24th annual event’s nightly concert series will be available starting August 10 at 10:00am ET.

On the heels of a record-breaking 2017 Festival, the highly anticipated event is expected to feature a diverse, all-star roster of musicians and speakers for its nightly concert series and daytime empowerment programming respectively. The 2017 “party with a purpose” drew over 470,000 attendees and featured first-time performances by Diana Ross and Chance The Rapper, plus keynote conversations with Ava Duvernay, Mary J. Blige, the cast of the critically acclaimed film “Girls Trip” – Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Regina Hall and Tiffany Haddish – and many more.

Festivalgoers can start planning their ‘girl’s trip’ and weekend getaways by visiting Essence Festival for a recap of the 2017 Festival, information about advance ticket sales, the latest news about the Festival and to sign up for Festival-related newsletters.

Join the Essence Festival community by following us on Twitter @essencefest #EssenceFest and become a fan of 2018 Essence Festival on Facebook for additional updates.

Sponsors of the 2018 Essence Festival® include presenting sponsor Coca-Cola® and major sponsor State Farm.

Summer 2017 /

Looking For Florida’s Best, You’ll Find It In Pensacola

The Pensacola Bay Area continues to prove to be a destination vacation through recent accolades. Known most well for its sugar white beaches, voted to the 10 Best Beaches in Florida by Conde Nast to be exact, the coastal city has established itself as an all-encompassing travel and leisure spot for visitors around the country.

Trips to Discover, an online travel publication that reaches over 7 million people, named the area to the 14 Best Day Trips in the Florida Panhandle and to the 12 Best Florida Summer Vacations on a Budget. The Pensacola Bay Area offers a multitude of activities from exploring the Gulf Islands National Seashore and its majestic forts, learning where Don Tristan de Luna landed and established America’s First Settlement over 450 years ago or enjoying the vibrant cultural scene downtown.

The Pensacola Bay area is known for its fresh Gulf Coast seafood, so well-known that Food Networks “Great American Food Truck Race” and host Tyler Florence stopped in to experience it. Business Insider named Taqueria El Asador, a local taco stand, to the 50 best tacos joint in all of America and Southern Living awarded the Flora-Bama the best bar in the entire state of Florida! Speaking of cocktails, locals favorite and owned by one of Visit Pensacola’s celebrity chefs, Skopelos restaurant has been awarded the 2017 Award of Excellence by Wine Spectator magazine!

As Pensacola gears up for the Fall Festival season, it places a significant emphasis on the culinary scene. We encourage foodies to come and experience a vast variety of tastes including gulf coast seafood, Greek, American street food and so much more. Festival season is the prime time to plan a vacation to the area as the official tourism season has come to a close, rates have declined and the weather is mild. You can easily say this is a locals favorite time of year!

Only in your state again named The National Naval Aviation Museum to the Best Free Activities in Florida and the Historic PensacolaVillage to the 13 Unforgettable Tours in Florida. With over 450 years of rich history, Historic Pensacola is a living laboratory that guides guests through 28 properties that have been fully restored. The village is fully operable and includes daily colonial living history demonstrations. The National Naval Aviation Museum is the world’s largest Naval Aviation museum and features more than 150 restored aircraft’s representing Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Aviation. Spanning 37-acres of ground space and 350,000 square feet of exhibit, the museum is open daily and offers free admission.

The US Navy Blue Angels Homecoming Airshow is currently in the running for USA Today’s Reader’s Choice award for top 10 Best Airshows. Be a part of our next accolade by voting daily, visit http://ow.ly/WNWj30dmkEa.

For more information about Visit Pensacola, call 1-800-874-1234 (toll-free) or go to http://ow.ly/Rga530dxikW.

About Visit Pensacola

Visit Pensacola leads the effort of economic development through tourism in Escambia County. Comprised of over 200-member businesses, VisitPensacola’s mission is to position the Pensacola Bay Area as a premier year-round travel destination through tourism marketing, communications, meetings and conventions, reunions and group tour initiatives. For more information about Visit Pensacola, call 1-800-874-1234 (toll-free) or go to VisitPensacola.com.

Lifestyle Tips /

Don’t Skip These Important Health Tests: Expert Advice

With the healthcare system is crisis, tons of red tape and fewer doctors accepting insurance, managing one’s health has become a major challenge. More and more women are skipping key exams simply because getting appointments are a hassle and obtaining coverage isn’t always guaranteed. That said, there are some key tests and exams that ever woman must have at various times of her life. If you’re going to put a preventative care plan together for yourself it’s important to know which tests are necessary to maintain optimal health. Dr. Christopher Calapai, a NYC board certified expert in osteopathic medicine specializing in longevity, recommends these tests.

Featured Photo from The New Potatoe

Blood and blood pressure screening: Starting at age 18, every woman needs to have her blood pressure checked at least every two years. Having annual bloodwork done is the way to tell if organs are functioning properly. Doing the basic blood panel between age 18 and 39 is a great start. After age 40 additional testing for things like fibrinogen which impacts blood clotting and C-Reative Protein which looks at inflammation in the body are key tests to consider. “As a longevity specialist, bloodwork tells a detailed story about health patterns and future predictions that can then be addressed and even reversed with early care,” says Dr. Calapai.

Cholesterol screening/lipid profile:

Cholesterol is a type of fatty protein in your blood that can build up in your arteries, so knowing how much cholesterol is present is a good predictor of your risk for heart disease. It’s important to start monitoring cholesterol starting at age 20 to establish a history. As women age cholesterol levels tend to rise so having a solid basis of comparison decade to decade is helpful in preventing heart disease down the road, explains Dr. Calapai.

Pap smear:

A pap smear is an important test for women to get annually if they are sexually active and over age 21. The test is designed to detect infection, inflammation or cellular abnormalities in the cervix which may lead to cervical cancer. “This is certainly one of those tests that must be done every year. Some women diagnosed with HPV who may have had abnormal results are often monitored even more closely. The more a woman knows about the health of her reproductive organs the better she can integrate foods, vitamins and minerals to keep herself healthy,” advises Dr. Calapai.

Mammograms and breast exams:

Women should begin administering monthly self-breast exams monthly as early as age 18. “It’s so important for women to understand that breast tissue changes during the month. They want to do the self-check in their shower or lying down just after their period ends when breasts are less tender, sore or swollen. This is when to feel around for any lumps, pain, tenderness, inflamed skin, and any issues with the nipple such as blockages or discharge. A mammography is an x-ray of the breasts. As of 2017, the American Cancer Society screening guidelines advises women to begin getting annual mammograms by age 45 and then can go to every other year by age 55. This guideline is for a woman of average risk. Women with a family history of breast cancer or with had cystic breasts with benign cysts should obviously have mammograms at an earlier age. “The self-exam is so important because early detection is key. If a woman is in her 20’s or 30’s and feels a lump she can follow through with her doctor for a closer look. When a woman goes in for a pap smear a breast exam is often done as well. However, you can’t hold off and skip the self-exam, cautions Dr. Calapai.

Skin cancer screening:

Skin cancer, while less deadly than other kinds of cancers, is the number-one cancer diagnosed among Americans; and one type of skin cancer, melanoma, is deadly. The number of women under age 40 with basal cell carcinoma, one type of skin cancer, has more than doubled in the last 30 years and women under 39 are almost twice as likely to develop melanoma as men.

A skin cancer screening involves a full examination of the skin with focused attention on any moles, skin lesions or any other changes to the skin. It is advised to begin skin cancer screenings at any age and the fairer the complexion the more vigilant one must be. Annual screenings are normal and doctors may recommend twice annually if there are more moles and you’re on hypertension medication. “The skin is the largest organ in the body and a great indicator of overall health. Even if you have darker skin any rash, growth or skin issue should be taken seriously so the underlying cause can be determined quickly,” adds Dr. Calapai.

Eye exam and vision screening:

According to the American Optometric Association people with normal, good vision should have their eyes examined every 3 years. For people who needed glasses or contacts at an earlier age an annual exam is recommended. By age 40 those with healthy, strong eyesight will begin to see changes either when driving, reading or watching TV. Women are at a slightly higher risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, one of the most common eye health problems. A vision screening tests how well you can see; an eye exam checks for glaucoma, macular degeneration, retinopathy, and other eye diseases. Make sure you’re having both kinds of exams. If you have diabetes, you’re at much higher risk for eye problems and should be checked more often. “When you get an eye exam and a prescription for glasses is give follow through and get the glasses. It’s amazing how many people put this off which only leads to further eye strain and headaches. Besides, glasses these days are a stylish accessory. There’s no need to compromise eye health for vanity,” says Dr. Calapai.

About the doctor:

Dr. Christopher Calapai, D.O. is an Osteopathic Physician board certified in family medicine, and anti-aging medicine. Proclaimed the “The Stem Cell Guru” by the New York Daily News, Dr. Calapai is a leader in the field of stem cell therapy in the U.S. His stem cell treatments have achieved remarkable results in clinical trials on patients with conditions as varied as Alzheimer’s, arthritis, erectile dysfunction, frailty syndrome, heart, kidney and liver failure, lupus, MS and Parkinson’s. He has worked with Mike Tyson, Mickey Rourke, Steven Seagal, and Gotham’s, Donal Logue; and as a medical consultant for the New York Rangers. Connect with him via twitter @drcalapai or at www.drcal.net

Lifestyle Tips /

Time-Saving Items: Do Less and Achieve More

We’ve all had days where we feel a little rushed and can’t be bothered with things like putting makeup on, eating a healthy meal, or that re-decorating you’ve been putting off.

Make all those to-do’s easier with these time-saving items:

 

Mixed Chicks 2-in-1 Co Wash: Adapting to weather changes is a core part of day-to-day life. As we prep to put our swimsuits on to soak in the golden haze of summer, we also must adjust our hair care techniques to beat the heat. With the Mixed Chicks Co-Wash, keep summer living easy with this all in one product for cleaning, detangling and hydrating!

• Features: o Hydrates, removes impurities, detangles o Creamy, no lather cleanser o Revitalizing shampoo alternative o Uses jojoba and castor oils to restore strength and flexibility o 8 oz/ 236 ml

Picture Keeper: Picture Keeper Connect — the best device to store all of your pictures on! If you are switching to a new phone, running out of storage, or just wanting to secure important photos, this safeguard system offers a simple photo backup solution for all devices – smartphones, tablets and computers. Protect your memories quickly with the ability to choose the storage capacity that best fits your needs! Picture Keeper Connect works anywhere, anytime – no wifi needed!

 

Tempaper: Decorate your space quickly with the self-adhesive, easily removable wallpaper from Tempaper! Also great for DIY projects, touch up your walls, dressers, cabinets, bookshelves and more. Tempaper is FDA approved, made lead-free, phthalate-free, VOC-free and has been made to be the apparent solution to many design problems while also being a fun alternative to decorating surfaces. You can choose from a wide variety of colors and designs, as well as you creating your own design to truly fit your home’s ambiance.

FACE Atelier’s Ultra Skin: Meet FACE Atelier’s Ultra Skin – the ultimate lightweight foundation! Its silicone-based formula perfects the skin with a long-lasting satin finish with light to medium buildable coverage. The creamy, soufflé-like texture produces an airbrush-like result and is perfect if you want a foundation that can be applied like a moisturizer without compromising performance. No blender, brush or sponge needed. Easily apply with fingers! Ultra Skin’s 11 shades cover the lightest to richest complexions and are color-matched to award-winning Ultra Foundation. No primer needed!

 

Perfect Shaker: No time for a gourmet meal? Whip up a quick and healthy shake in a Perfect Shaker! The superhero-themed cups have powerful perks like a stay-open flip cap, screw-on lid and extra wide mouthpiece. Perfect Shaker’s Marvel and DC Shaker can take you to the next level. Train like a Hero!

 

 

Birmingham /

Liberated Specialty Foods: Healthiest Secret in the South

The self-proclaimed “Healthiest Secret in the South”, Liberated Specialty Foods is the first-to-market Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) commercial bakery, selling dozens of food items online and nine distinct items for wholesale, including coconut and cashew bread, Paleo pizza crusts, pizza sauce, ketchup and more. Based in Madison, Alabama, the unique health-crazed company is taking the nation by storm and becoming more and more popular in areas all over. Having grown immensely in the last year, they can be found in major retailers (Whole Foods, Earth Fare, Nugget Markets, Raley’s, the Health Nuts, and more) and are baking up more and more new, delicious foods daily.

Liberated Specialty Food’s motto is they go “Beyond Paleo” by taking the paleo diet and removing the starches (like tapioca, cassava, arrowroot) and other additives (like guar gum). This makes their offerings even more simple and able to be consumed by those on a wide variety of diets outside of Paleo, such as the SCD, Keto, GAPS, Bulletproof, Feingold and more. They are an ideal brand, and the only brand, for many people who need to rethink their eating habits but don’t want to deal with the brutal elimination of favorite foods and the feeling of being left out when surrounded by people eating their most desired guilty pleasure foods. Imagine enjoying a delicious pizza crust with only 3 net carbs? Count us in!

Not only does Liberated Specialty Foods fill you up with delicious, clean foods but the story behind the company fills you up with inspiration and motivation for a better you. Founder Stacey Schlaman was inspired to start the business through her own struggles providing grain-free meals, with simple ingredients, to her own daughter who suffered from a number of autoimmune diseases. After breaking down in tears over the lack of ingredients and the immense time it took to prepare these types of food herself, she vowed to dedicate herself to making these foods available for others so that she could, in some way, help alleviate the heavy burden many of her customers were already carrying.

Liberated Specialty Foods™ goes Beyond Paleo and gluten-free eating to provide foods that can be consumed by those on special diets. In doing so, they use the healthiest ingredients for the highest quality foods. Five unique things to know about their products:

  • Products do not contain most starches and are gluten and grain free.
  • The Paleo branded products contain no dairy products.
  • The SCD™ and GAPS™ products may include the following dairy products: approved cheeses, farmer’s cheese, ghee, and specially made yogurt.
  • Products are sweetened with only honey, fruit and/or vanilla extract.
  • Consists of no unlabeled ingredients, such as “spices” or “natural flavors”

For more information about Liberated Specialty Foods or to view all product offerings, please visit http://liberatedspecialtyfoods.com/

Beauty /

Jada Pinkett Smith, Solange, Karrueche Tran, and Kofi Siriboe: Essence Festival 2017 Event Recap

Essence Festival 2017 was exhilarating; packed with panel discussions, games, giveaways, and high-energy concerts.

Fashion editors, beauty bloggers, and celebrity stylists were present while the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center was filled with beauty vendors such as Palmers, Creme of Nature, Cantu, Olive Miracle, and Shea Moisture. Attendees at the Palmers booth received free samples, demonstrations, and prizes.

The daytime main stage featured performances by India Arie, John Legend, Rhonda Ross, Afrika Mamas, Junior, and Diana Ross. Saturday afternoon guests included Jazmine Sullivan, Monica, Ari Lennox, Jill Scott, Chaka Khan, and Mary J. Blige. Solange, Trombone Shorty, Chance The Rapper, and Ithwasa Lekhansela were at the main stage on Sunday, July 2, 2017.

Additional conference expos included the Path To Power: Entrepreneurship and Business Conference, Essence Eats, and Shops at Essence; featuring global vendors with African print apparel, framed art, paintings, and jewelry.

Hollywood actors and actresses were interviewed in the pressroom. Spike Lee and Janice Bryant Howroyd shared millennial career advice while additional cast members and comedians discussed their upcoming projects.

Also known, as the “party with a purpose” Essence Fest is a must-go event!  To attend the 2018 star-studded weekend, check the Essence website and register for more details.

See pressroom photos below:

NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 01: (L-R) Ryan Destiny, Brittany O’Grady, Amiyah Scott, Jude Demorest and Miss Lawrence of ‘Star’ pose in the press room at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 1, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2017 ESSENCE Festival )
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 01: June’s Diary pose in the press room at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 1, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2017 ESSENCE Festival )
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 01: Regina Barrow, Congresswoman Maxine Waters and Shanta Proctor pose backstage at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 1, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2017 ESSENCE Festival )
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 01: Iyanla Vanzant poses in the press room at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 1, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2017 ESSENCE Festival )
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 01: (L-R) Spike Lee, Tonya Lewis Lee, DeWanda Wise, Anthony Ramos, Cleo Anthony and Lyriq Bent of ‘She’s Gotta Have It’ pose in the press room at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 1, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2017 ESSENCE Festival )
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 01: Ava DuVernay (C) poses with Omar Dorsey, Timon Kyle Durrett, Ethan Hutchison, Dawn-Lyen Gardner, Bianca Lawson, Tina Lifford and Dondre Whitfield at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 1, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2017 ESSENCE Festival )
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 01: (L-R) Will Packer, Malcolm D. Lee, Kofi Siriboe, Larenz Tate, Tiffany Haddish, Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith and Queen Latifah pose in the press room at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 1, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2017 ESSENCE Festival )
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 02: Brandon Micheal Hall, Yvette Nicole Brown, CeCe Winans and Roland Martin pose backstage at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 2, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2017 ESSENCE Festival )
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 01: Chante Moore poses in the press room at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 1, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2017 ESSENCE Festival )
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 01: Karrueche Tran and Niecy Nash pose in the press room at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 1, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2017 ESSENCE Festival )
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 01: Chef Huda poses in the press room at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 1, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2017 ESSENCE Festival )
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 01: Ta’Rhonda Jones and Bryshere Y. Gray pose in the press room at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 1, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2017 ESSENCE Festival )
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 01: Janice Bryant Howroyd poses in the press room at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 1, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2017 ESSENCE Festival )
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 01: Jada Pinkett Smith poses in the press room at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 1, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2017 ESSENCE Festival )
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 01: Jada Pinkett Smith and Queen Latifah pose in the press room at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 1, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2017 ESSENCE Festival )
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 01: Kofi Siriboe poses in the press room at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 1, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2017 ESSENCE Festival )
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 02: Craig Robinson poses in the press room at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 2, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2017 ESSENCE Festival )
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 02: Kelly Price poses in the press room at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 2, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2017 ESSENCE Festival )
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 02: Yvette Nicole Brown and CeCe Winans pose backstage at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 2, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2017 ESSENCE Festival )

 

 

Entertainment /

TIME INC.¹S 2017 ESSENCE FESTIVAL® PRESENTED BY COCA-COLA® ATTRACTS MORE THAN 470,000 ATTENDEES

Time Inc.’s (NYSE:TIME) 2017 ESSENCE Festival® presented by Coca-Cola® attracted more than 470,000 attendees to New Orleans this Fourth of July weekend for its annual cultural celebration featuring more than 200 performing artists and speakers—which included first-time appearances by Halle Berry, Diana Ross, Chance The Rapper and many more.  Recognized as one of the country’s largest live events, the 2017 ESSENCE Festival extended its reach worldwide by generating a record-breaking 4 billion social media impressions.

The annual 4-day Festival, which took place June 29-July 2, features entertainment, empowerment, and cultural experiences during the day and a state-of-the-art concert series with the world’s best performers each night.

Highlights of the 2017 ESSENCE Festival include:

  • Over 100 performing artists across the Superdome and the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Many of the biggest names in the entertainment industry such as Diana Ross, John Legend, Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan, Chance The Rapper, Master P. and Solange performed at the event’s nighttime concerts and dozens of others across ESSENCE’s Center Stage and All-Star Gospel Tribute honoring Cissy Houston.
  • More than 100 speakers, authors, leaders and celebrities participated in the Festival’s free daytime experience –including a first-ever appearance by Halle Berry.  Other powerhouse speakers included Ava DuVernay, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon and the return of favorites Rev. Al Sharpton, Congresswoman Maxine Waters and Iyanla Vanzant, among others, drew packed crowds.
  • #EssenceFest social media posts driving more than 4 billion impressions with daily trending status on Twitter.
  • The launch of ESSENCE’s newly expanded ‘Path to Power’ business and entrepreneurship conference, as well as the return of consumer Expos focused on ‘Beauty & Style’ and ‘Entertainment All Access’ which drew crowds of thousands each day to the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
  • Artist collaborations resulted in new Festival initiatives, including a first-time ‘Ladies Night’ featuring all female performers across five stages on Saturday night, and a first-ever celebrity basketball game to raise money for local youth scholarships in partnership with Master P. and his foundation, Team Hope NOLA.

For a full recap of all the exciting moments from the 2017 ESSENCE Festival, visit ESSENCE.com and log in to the ESSENCE Festival News Center for photo and footage highlights.

The 2017 ESSENCE Festival is executive produced by ESSENCE Festivals LLC, a division of ESSENCE Communications Inc. (ECI), and produced by Solomon Group. GeChar is the executive producer of the 2017 ESSENCE Empowerment Experience

Sponsors of the 2017 ESSENCE Festival include presenting sponsor Coca-Cola and major sponsors AT&T, Ford, McDonald’s, State Farm and Walmart.  Superlounge sponsors include Coca-Cola, Ford and Walmart. The All Star Gospel Tribute is sponsored by Walmart.

 

ABOUT ESSENCE COMMUNICATIONS INC.

Essence Communications Inc. (ECI) is the number one media company dedicated to African-American women, with a brand reach of 21.2 million. With a multi-platform presence in publishing, live events and online, ECI is comprised of Essence magazine, the preeminent lifestyle magazine for African-American women; the ESSENCE Festival®; Black Women in Hollywood and Black Women in Music events; Window on Our Women and Smart Beauty consumer insights series; Essence.com; and ventures in digital media (mobile, television and VOD).

ABOUT TIME INC.

Time Inc. (NYSE:TIME) is a leading multi-platform consumer media company that engages over 170 million consumers globally every month. The company’s influential brands include PEOPLE, TIME, FORTUNE, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, INSTYLE, REAL SIMPLE, SOUTHERN LIVING and TRAVEL + LEISURE, as well as more than 60 diverse international brands. Time Inc. offers marketers a differentiated proposition in the marketplace by combining its powerful brands, trusted content, audience scale, direct relationships with consumers and unique first-party data. The company is home to growing media and platforms, including digital video, OTT, television, licensing, paid products and services and celebrated live events, such as the TIME 100, FORTUNE Most Powerful Women, PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’s Sportsperson of the Year, the ESSENCE Festival and the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen.

Beauty /

HALLE BERRY TO OPEN EMPOWERMENT EXPERIENCE – 2017 ESSENCE FESTIVAL

ESSENCE announced that Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry will open the Empowerment Experience Stage at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans, presented by Coca-Cola, on Friday, June 30, 2017 at 11:30am, which will kick off the Festival’s weekend slate of daytime programming at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

Featured Photo from Celebmafia.com

This will be the first time that Berry, who recently wrapped production of her latest filmKidnap, will appear at the ESSENCE Festival. Berry joins speakers Ava DuVernay, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Iyanla Vanzant and Rev. Al Sharpton, as well as performers Diana Ross, John Legend, Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan, Chance the Rapper, Solange and many more at the annual event, which is recognized as the nation’s largest gathering of African-American women.

“Halle Berry’s impact as an artist is extraordinary and her story, both personally and professionally, is an inspiration to women across the globe,” said ESSENCE Editor-in-Chief Vanessa De Luca. “We are delighted that Halle has agreed to share her journey and invite our passionate community of fans to join us for an exciting opening to the Festival’s daytime Empowerment Experience.”

The annual ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans, presented by Coca-Cola, is one of the nation’s largest live events. Each year, the Festival draws, on average, 500,000 attendees from across the globe to its multi-day entertainment, empowerment and cultural event, which generates an economic impact of more than $200 million to the local economy. Now in its 23rd year, the ESSENCE Festival has featured some of the biggest names in entertainment and the nation’s most influential speakers, authors and leaders, including Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Prince, Janet Jackson, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, Usher, Mary J. Blige, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Kahn, Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Rev. Al Sharpton, Deepak Chopra, Steve Harvey, Ava DuVernay, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Magic Johnson, Iyanla Vanzant and many more.

Join the ESSENCE Festival community: Follow us on Twitter @essencefest #EssenceFest and become a fan of 2017 ESSENCE Festival® on Facebook. The 2017 ESSENCE Festival® is executive produced by ESSENCE Festivals LLC, a division of ESSENCE Communications Inc., and produced by Solomon Group. GeChar is the executive producer of the 2017 ESSENCE Empowerment Experience. Exclusive sponsors of the 2017 ESSENCE Festival® include presenting sponsor Coca-Cola and major sponsors AT&T, Ford, McDonald’s, State Farm and Walmart. Superlounge sponsors include Coca-Cola, Ford and Walmart. The All-Star Gospel Tribute is sponsored by Walmart.

About Essence Communications Inc.

Essence Communications Inc. (ECI) is the number one media company dedicated to African-American women, with a brand reach of 21.2 million. With a multi-platform presence in publishing, live events and online, ECI is comprised of Essence magazine, the preeminent lifestyle magazine for African-American women; the ESSENCE Festival; Black Women in Hollywood and Black Women in Music events; Window on Our Women and Smart Beauty consumer insights series; Essence.com; and ventures in digital media (mobile, television and VOD).

ABOUT TIME INC.

Time Inc. (NYSE:TIME) is a leading multi-platform media company that engages over 170 million consumers globally every month. The company’s influential brands include PEOPLE, TIME, FORTUNE, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, INSTYLE, REAL SIMPLE, SOUTHERN LIVING and TRAVEL + LEISURE, as well as more than 60 diverse international brands. Time Inc. offers marketers a differentiated proposition in the marketplace by combining its powerful brands, trusted content, audience scale, direct relationships with consumers and unique first-party data. The company is home to growing media and platforms, including digital video, OTT, television, licensing, paid products and services and celebrated live events, such as the TIME 100, FORTUNE Most Powerful Women, PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’s Sportsperson of the Year, the ESSENCE Festival and the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen.