Today, the ESSENCE Festival of Culture^® Presented by Coca-Cola^® unveiled its full slate of daytime programming, bringing together the conversations, creators, entrepreneurs, authors, chefs, filmmakers, artists, beauty leaders, wellness voices, and cultural tastemakers shaping Black culture today.

From July 3-5, 2026, the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center will once again serve as the Festival’s daytime home, offering attendees a weekend of free experiences rooted in discovery, connection, entertainment, community, and access. The daytime experience is designed as a full cultural destination before the Festival continues each night with its highly anticipated evening concert series, bringing together some of the biggest names in music for unforgettable live performances in New Orleans.

In 2025, the ESSENCE Festival of Culture^® Presented by Coca-Cola^® generated an estimated $321 million in economic impact, according to studies conducted by Dillard University and Louisiana Economic Development. With more than 70% of attendees traveling from outside Louisiana, the Festival continues to drive tourism, support local businesses, and contribute to the city’s economy while bringing national and global audiences to New Orleans.

Hosted by Tisha Campbell and Loren Lorosa, the ESSENCE Main Stage™ returns as the heart of the Festival’s daytime programming, centering the conversations, performances, and live moments that define the daytime experience. Doors open Friday, July 3, at 10:00 AM CT, with 9:00 AM CT expedited entry for Convention Center VIP ticket holders. Attendees can register for free through the E360 app to access daily schedules, build personalized itineraries, receive real-time updates, and stay connected throughout the weekend.

For guests looking to elevate their Festival experience, ESSENCE VIP includes reserved seating at the ESSENCE Main Stage™ (subject to availability), curated gift bags, charging stations, exclusive offers to select invite-only events, and access to ESSENCE Luxe Lounge Shopping Experience — showcasing a curated selection of luxury Black designers and brands. The experience will feature labels including Bernard James, Christopher John Rogers, Brandon Blackwood, House of Aama, and Tia Adeola, with additional designers to be announced. The activation offers attendees exclusive access to fashion, craftsmanship, and design from some of the most influential voices shaping luxury today.

Across the Convention Center, the Festival will spotlight the full range of Black creativity, commerce, wellness, storytelling, beauty, entertainment, and cultural influence. Guided by Chief Curator Teyana Taylor and The Aunties, attendees will experience a more immersive Festival designed to celebrate culture in motion. Throughout the weekend, Taylor's creative vision will come to life through curated conversations, interactive experiences, and community-driven activations, including The Aunties' Double Dutch Tournament, special appearances and conversations led by Taylor, and cross-Festival moments designed to connect audiences through storytelling, nostalgia, wellness, and joy.

Book Festival: ESSENCE Authors™ returns with conversations featuring today’s leading Black authors, journalists, cultural critics, and content creators, alongside practical guidance for those looking to break into the publishing industry. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Founder of The North Star Books + Bar, Nikole Hannah-Jones, will curate nonfiction programming, while award-winning showrunner, producer, and author Mara Brock Akil will curate the fiction experience, including a preview of her upcoming novel, The Revelation of Dionne Daphne. Additional appearances include Tiffany D. Cross, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Jamilah Lemieux, Taresa ‘Ressa Teesa’ Johnson, Tayari Jones, Ayana Gray, and more. Book Festival: ESSENCE Authors™ will be powered by beloved New Orleans institution Community Book Center and its Owner and Founder, Vera Warren-Williams, known affectionately as Mama Vera.

Chef Nina Compton returns for a second year as a curator of the ESSENCE Food & Wine Festival™, featuring live culinary demonstrations and conversations celebrating the traditions, stories, and innovation at the heart of Black food culture. Inspired by the flavors and spirit of New Orleans, the programming will spotlight chefs, tastemakers, wine and spirits aficionados, and culinary voices preserving legacy while shaping what’s next. This year's experience is packed with moments, including live competitive culinary formats, alongside a star-studded lineup featuring Mychel ‘Snoop’ Dillard, Raven Goodwin, Sonja Norwood @WickdConfections, Chef Zoe Chase, Effie Richardson, Mr. Happy Hour, and more.

The ESSENCE Film Festival, in collaboration with ESSENCE Studios™ and Executive Producers MVD Inc., celebrates bold storytelling across film, television, music, and emerging media while providing a platform for creators to showcase their work and connect with audiences. This year’s Festival received more than 600 submissions from filmmakers across the globe, reflecting the growing demand for authentic Black storytelling across formats. Alongside narrative features, documentaries, social impact stories, and short films, the Festival will spotlight the rapidly growing microdrama format, highlighting innovative creators who are redefining how stories are told and consumed. In partnership with Hartbeat/CODEBLACK, the Festival’s screening and selection process for the microdrama and short film categories included the involvement of Jeff Clanagan, President and Chief Distribution Officer of Hartbeat. Festival attendees will also have the opportunity to engage with emerging filmmakers through the ESSENCE Film Festival Pitch Competition, featuring special participation from Sanaa Lathan.

This year’s slate includes A Portrait of a Postman, featuring Tina Knowles; Please Return Your Cart, executive produced by Issa Rae; ChikaBOOM!, starring Yara Shahidi; Funny Feelings, featuring Mack Wilds, Pretty Vee, B. Simone, Terri J. Vaughn, Etienne Maurice, and Pastor Mike Jr.; FreeLance, starring KevOnStage and Spence Moore II; and Switches, featuring Sinqua Walls. Across every category, the Festival spotlights emerging and established voices whose work reflects the depth, creativity, and evolution of Black storytelling.

The Creator and Podcast Festival will bring together digital creators, podcasters, media personalities, and cultural voices for conversations, live recordings, networking, and programming designed to support the next generation of storytellers and platform-builders. Adding to the programming, the podcast collective will offer a behind-the-scenes look at how today's most trusted audio voices across culture, beauty, finance, and wellbeing are building and monetizing their platforms — with shows like ranging from the relaunch of the beloved Yes, Girl! podcast, Go Off, Sis, Between Us Curls, and Naked Beauty, represented in the mix.

ESSENCE Girls United and Kensington Grey are joining forces for the Kickback Creator Mixer, an intentional space designed to bridge the gap between emerging Black talent and real industry access. The invite-only event centers Black women and gender-expansive creatives across niches pairing professional networking with a live lineup of performances that keep the energy high throughout the entire experience. It is the ultimate VIP vibe for the next generation of festivalgoers, where long-term brand relationships and cultural joy happen simultaneously.

The Global Black Economic Forum (GBEF^® HQ) will bring together thought leaders, CEOs, entrepreneurs, innovators, policymakers, and culture-shapers for timely conversations and action-oriented programming centered on building economic power for Black communities and other marginalized groups. Rooted in the belief that democracy, justice, and economic opportunity are inseparable, GBEF^® HQ will serve as a global platform for advancing solutions that expand the future of work, wealth, health, and democracy to build a sustainable future for Black communities worldwide.

New Voices Village™ and New Voices Entrepreneur Hub will return as a hub for entrepreneurship, investment, business growth, and economic opportunity, connecting founders, business leaders, and entrepreneurship stakeholders with resources, conversations, and community. The New Voices Village and Entrepreneur Hub will feature founder features and demos, one-on-one office hours, headshot & product photography opportunities, longer-form workshops, 6 hours of integrated and branded content opportunities, and 80+ entrepreneurs and emerging businesses across the programming slate.

We Love Us: The Marketplace (formerly SOKO MRKT™) will return as a dedicated shopping destination spotlighting Black-owned brands, makers, designers, and entrepreneurs across fashion, beauty, wellness, home, lifestyle, and more.

BEAUTYCON™: @ESSENCEFEST Edition will bring beauty culture to the center of Festival weekend with live conversations, brand activations, product discovery, tutorials, and appearances from leading voices across beauty, style, and culture featuring appearances by Canvas Beauty Founder Stormi Steele, LaLa Anthony, Tokyo Vanity, and more. Guests can also discover products and experiences from standout brands including Grow Good, the beauty and wellness brand founded by Cardi B, Canvas Beauty, Bask & Lather. For guests seeking an elevated experience, BEAUTYCON™ VIP will offer premium access, exclusive perks, and curated moments designed for beauty insiders and super fans.

Unbothered & Well debuts as an evolution of the former Wellness Stage. A deeper, more intentional space to rest, reflect, and reset in community. Across three days, the experience holds 18+ sessions spanning women's health, mental health, self-advocacy, faith, and embodiment, expanding the Festival's belief that taking care of yourself is inseparable from Black joy. Anchored by Keke Palmer's Practice by Palmer mat pilates session, the lineup moves through guided sound baths, community Talking Circles, breast health screenings, self-advocacy education, faith conversations, and the Door of Return art installation, led by doctors, practitioners, and cultural voices committed to amplifying wellbeing.

Suede: Men’s Experience will return as a dedicated space for the conversations, culture, style, wellness, finance, and community shaping Black men’s lives today. Across the weekend, Suede: Men’s Experience will bring together influential voices, creators, business leaders, and cultural tastemakers for programming designed to engage men across interests, generations, and lived experiences featuring appearances from Lance Gross, Curren$y, Wild Wayne, Obio Jones, and more.

As part of this year’s Suede: Men’s Experience, DJ Envy’s Drive Your Dreams Car Show will bring automotive culture to the Convention Center floor with a curated showcase of custom builds, classics, exotics, and American muscle cars. The experience adds a new layer of energy to Suede, creating a space where passion, craftsmanship, lifestyle, and community meet.

On Sunday, July 5, Get Lifted returns to the ESSENCE Stage™, bringing gospel, worship, and inspiration to the heart of the Festival’s daytime experience. Led by 28-time Stellar Award Winner Pastor Mike Jr. and special guests Koryn Hawthorne, Dante Pride, Adia, JustCordell, Crystal Aikin, Ricky Dillard, and Jor’Dan Armstrong, the Sunday celebration will offer attendees a powerful moment of praise and reflection during Festival weekend.

Founded by Westside Gunn and Smoke DZA, Fourth Rope brings wrestling, music, fashion, and Black culture together for a one-of-a-kind ticketed experience during Festival weekend. Featuring live sports entertainment, musical performances, and special appearances, Fourth Rope showcases the creativity, influence, and community that sit at the intersection of culture and entertainment.

ESSENCE Black Women in Music returns for the first time since 2018 as a private luncheon at the Four Seasons, reviving one of ESSENCE’s signature franchises celebrating the Black women shaping the sound, business, and cultural impact of music. The invite-only gathering will bring together artists, executives, creatives, and industry leaders to honor the legacy, influence, and innovation of Black women across the industry including Brandy, Kandi Burruss, Missy Elliot, and Mona Scott Young.

The Cadillac Formula 1 Team will also host the Cadillac F1 x Jim Beam Pit Stop BBQ at ESSENCE Festival of Culture^®, an exclusive, invitation-only experience. Inspired by the energy of Formula 1 and the unmistakable spirit of New Orleans, the private gathering will bring together tastemakers, creators, cultural leaders, and special guests for the featuring of the Cadillac F1 team’s special July 4th livery. Curated culinary offerings from acclaimed local chefs, led by ESSENCE Food & Wine Festival™ Chef-in-Residence Nina Compton, alongside live entertainment, exclusive photo opportunities, the Cadillac F1 Livery and Cadillac OPTIQ, and specialty Jim Beam cocktails will round out one of the weekend’s signature private partner experiences.

Refinery29 and R29 SOMOS, in partnership with Society18, are proud to host the official creator kickoff to ESSENCE Festival of Culture^®. This invite-only gathering will bring together creators, media partners, brands, industry professionals, and cultural tastemakers for an afternoon of connection, conversation, and community. Celebrating the intersection of Black and Latino cultures, the experience will create space for authentic relationship-building, meaningful collaboration, and opportunities to connect with the people shaping the future of media, marketing, and culture as Festival weekend gets underway.

For more than three decades, New Orleans has remained central to the ESSENCE Festival of Culture^® experience. That commitment extends beyond Festival weekend through initiatives that support local communities, entrepreneurs, and future leaders. This year, those efforts include Create to Heal, a partnership with Operation Restoration focused on healing-centered support for formerly incarcerated women; the Community Commerce Collective (C3), connecting Black founders and entrepreneurs with resources, mentorship, and business opportunities via the New Voices Village and Entrepreneur Hub ; and the Festival Brand Ambassador Program, creating paid opportunities for New Orleans-area college students, in partnership with the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program.

As Presenting Partner, Coca-Cola^® will once again play a central role throughout Festival weekend, helping create memorable moments across the daytime experience while supporting the conversations, connections, and celebrations that define the ESSENCE Festival of Culture^®.

From appearances by Normani, Ryan Destiny, and Eva Marcille to performances by Mario, Coi Leray, Destin Conrad, and the World Famed Tiger Marching Band of Grambling State University, Coca-Cola's Festival footprint will deliver a dynamic weekend of music, culture, and community. Hosted by Jamila Mustafa and Charles Beloved, programming will span sisterhood, HBCU pride, and cultural celebration through experiences including Shine City's Sisterhood Ave, If Not For My Girls, and The World Is My Yard.

Guests will also experience the Shine City Marketplace, spotlighting Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs while celebrating creativity, commerce, and community. Coca-Cola's HBCU programming will further honor the legacy and future of Historically Black Colleges and Universities through The World Is My Yard, bringing together students, alumni, marching band traditions, and meaningful campus engagement in celebration of HBCU excellence and culture.

Disney returns to the ESSENCE Festival of Culture^® with a dynamic slate celebrating multigenerational Black storytelling, including an exclusive first look at FX’s "The Drop: A Snowfall Saga" and conversation with cast members Gail Bean, Isaiah John, Asante Blackk, Peyton Alex Smith, and Simmie “Buddy” Simms III; "Descendants: Wicked Wonderland" star Malia Baker; and a world premiere of the fourth season of “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder,” followed by a conversation with Creator/EP Bruce W. Smith and EP Ralph Farquhar at the ESSENCE Film Festival. Disney’s programming will spotlight culture-shaping stories, beloved franchises, and the creative voices bringing them to life.

Prime Video will bring exclusive previews of three highly anticipated projects to the ESSENCE Festival of Culture^®. Audiences will go behind the scenes of two new, highly-anticipated action series, Ride or Die and Neagley, with a discussion between each of the series’ leading women – Academy Award-winning actor and executive producer Octavia Spencer and actor Maria Sten. Festivalgoers will also get a first look at The Greatest, the upcoming Muhammad Ali biopic from Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society, with a conversation about bringing the life and legacy of one of the world’s most iconic figures to the screen. The discussion will feature creator and executive producer Ben Watkins alongside cast members Jaalen Best, Dana Gourrier, Amin Joseph, Kai Parham and Michael Ealy.

Together, the 2026 daytime slate reflects the full scale of the ESSENCE Festival of Culture^® Presented by Coca-Cola^® as a cultural, economic, and community force. From free daytime experiences at the Convention Center to the Evening Concert Series and select ticketed experiences, Festival weekend offers attendees a complete celebration of Black culture across ideas, entertainment, beauty, business, wellness, food, storytelling, music, and community.

Tickets for the 2026 ESSENCE Festival of Culture^® presented by Coca-Cola^® Evening Concert Series are available now. Hotel packages and travel offerings are also available for those planning their stay in New Orleans. Follow @ESSENCEFest on X, Facebook, and Instagram, and download the E360 app to stay connected.

About Sundial Media & Technology Group

Sundial Media & Technology Group (SMTG) is a human connections company redefining the future of media. With more than 100 years of storytelling expertise and audience insight, SMTG is transforming the traditional media model into a technology-enabled ecosystem designed to foster belonging, drive influence, and scale economic opportunity. Its portfolio includes some of the most iconic purpose-driven brands and experiences in culture today, including ESSENCE (Girls United, ESSENCE Studios, ESSENCE Festival of Culture^®), Refinery29, AFROPUNK, and Beautycon™. Through strategic storytelling, data-powered platforms, and products built for cultural impact, SMTG is where connection becomes currency.

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