Essence Festival sees smaller crowds and late start for Lauryn Hill’s set
Essence Festival sees smaller crowds and late start for Lauryn Hill’s set
Essence Festival kicked off in New Orleans over the July 4 weekend, but this year’s event was marked by smaller crowds, a late-night finale, and adjustments to festival spaces. Fans still saw big-name artists and cultural events, but attendance was down and festival goers said some parts of the festival ran late or felt different than in years past.
Attendance appears to be down compared to previous years, with hotel occupancy rates for the festival weekend projected between 73% and 83%, a noticeable decline from last year’s 81% to 91%, according to New Orleans & Co. spokesperson Kelly Schulz, NOLA.com reported.
Local businesses, including longtime vendors like Diva Dawg catering owner Ericka Lassair, reported fewer bookings and slower sales during the festival weekend.
Despite the dip, Essence Festival organizers emphasized the event’s continued significance as a cultural gathering and economic driver for the city.
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Kirk McDonald, CEO of Sundial Media Group, said Essence has generated over $4 billion for New Orleans over three decades and continues to support local entrepreneurs, hospitality workers, and small businesses.
"Over the last three decades, we’ve driven more than 4 billion into this city," McDonald said. "With all the investment that comes in, the entrepreneurs, the local community that benefits from this. It’s an incredible opportunity for us to feed each other."
Michele Ghee, Chief Content Officer for Essence Ventures, described the festival’s approach to New Orleans as a family affair: “When we talk about coming here, we're talking about, let's go put on the biggest, you know, event with our family,” she said.
The opening night of concerts at the Caesars Superdome ran notably late, with R&B star Lauryn Hill closing her set at 3:37 a.m. after being added to the lineup just days earlier, our partners reported. The extended schedule and late start meant the Dome was largely empty by the time Hill took the stage.
Earlier acts included Maxwell, Babyface, the Isley Brothers, and Memphis rapper GloRilla, but delays accumulated throughout the night, leading to a sparse audience for Hill’s performance, NOLA.com reported.
In addition, changes to the popular Superlounge VIP area were met with some confusion and frustration. Organizers said due to ongoing renovations at the Superdome, many original lounge spaces were unavailable, and the festival rebranded the Superlounge as a premium experience with limited capacity. They apologized for the communication issues and pledged clearer information for future events.
Still, visitors like Judy Johnson from the UK expressed excitement about attending the festival, calling it a dream come true despite the smaller scale this year.
"I never imagined that I'd be able to come and see it," she said. "So I can't wait."
This year's economic impact may be slightly lower than previous years, with Essence Fest officials pointing to an "uncertain climate" and changing travel habits as reasons for the lower turnout.
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