Essence Fest Wraps up Amid Changing Tides in Festival Attendance

Essence Fest Takes Blame For Lauryn Hill’s Delayed Set: “Put Some Respect On Her Name”

After Lauryn Hill closed out the opening night of Essence Festival in the wee hours of Saturday morning, festival organizers shouldered blame for the delay. On Sunday, Essence shared a statement in defense of the 8x Grammy winner, accepting responsibility after she reportedly finished performing her set at almost 4am for a nearly empty Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. “Family is family and around here we protect our own no matter what the P…

I Went To ESSENCE Fest Alone (Again)—And It Was Everything

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Essence Fest wraps up amid changing tides in festival attendance

Essence Festival 2025 reports lower attendance. Economic factors and lack of major headliners cited as reasons by experts. Festival organizers must adapt.

This Black woman and her besties have fallen out of love with the Essence Festival

A Minneapolis guest columnist who traveled to New Orleans to enjoy the Essence Festival with her sister girlfriends has fallen out of love with the annual celebration. She and her friends, feel deserted.