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; featuringglobal 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.
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 )
The talent line-up continues to heat up for the 2017 ESSENCE Festival® presented by Coca-Cola®. The Festival will offer even more celebrity access, television and film sneak peeks and exclusive performances than ever before, rounding out the event’s daytime experience—which is free and open-to-the-public—taking place June 30-July 2 in New Orleans.
JUNE 30-JULY 2, FREE—ERNEST N. MORIAL CONVENTION CENTER
IYANLA VANZANT JADA PINKETT SMITH CONGRESSWOMAN MAXINE WATERS AVA DUVERNAY
MARY J. BLIGE REGINA HALL REV. AL SHARPTON QUEEN LATIFAH MASTER P ISSA RAE
TINA KNOWLES-LAWSON CECE WINANS JOHN SINGLETON MARA BROCK-AKIL
LARENZ TATE BRYSHERE Y. GRAY MONICA INDIA.ARIE MC LYTE TWEET TIFFANY HADDISH MICHAEL ERIC DYSON JAY ELLIS XSCAPE JOSEPH SIKORA TA’RHONDA JONES YVONNE ORIJI
LETOYA LUCKETT CORY HARDRICT BJ THE CHICAGO KID ELLE VARNER SYBRINA FULTON PHAEDRA PARKS EMILY ESTEFAN DONDRE WHITFIELD RUTINA WESLEY CISSY HOUSTON KOFI SIRIBOE TINA LIFFORD DAWN-LYEN GARDNER BRANDON BELL
KIM BURRELL KELLY PRICE GALLANT JUDE DEMOREST
RYAN DESTINY DEMETRIA MCKINNEY BRITTANY O’GRADY
For more information, visit www.essencefestival.com, follow us on Twitter @essencefest #EssenceFest and become a fan of 2017 ESSENCE Festival on Facebook.
The 2017 ESSENCE Festival App is now available for iPhone and Android users.
Sponsors of the 2017 ESSENCE Festival® include presenting sponsor Coca-Cola and major sponsors Ford, McDonald’s, State Farm, Verizon, and Walmart. Superlounge sponsors include Coca-Cola, Ford and Walmart. The All-Star Gospel Tribute is sponsored by Walmart.
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