2021 Essence Festival Goes Virtual Over Two Weekends in June and July

Statement From ESSENCE Communications Inc. on the 2021 ESSENCE Festival of Culture

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ESSENCE, the leading and only 100% Black-owned media, technology and commerce company at scale dedicated to Black women and communities, announced plans and dates for our 2021 ESSENCE Festival of Culture.

In 2020, in light of the COVID-19 global pandemic, ESSENCE shifted our annual multi-day celebration to an innovative virtual format to ensure continued delivery of our unparalleled Festival, the world’s largest cultural, entertainment and empowerment experience. The first of its kind and scale to be executed virtually during the pandemic, the ESSENCE Festival of Culture – which annually draws more than half a million people over July 4th weekend in New Orleans – extended its reach, engagement and impact via enhanced technology and streaming capabilities to touch more people globally. In a year of unprecedented challenges and mass isolation that made it even more critical to create and deliver the community, connectivity and engagement for which it is most loved, the ESSENCE Festival of Culture provided much-needed, only-at-ESSENCE content and experiences that informed, inspired and empowered – and our community overwhelmingly responded with 45+ million full-stream views of Festival content to date.

This year, with the theme ‘Live Loud,’ ESSENCE is thrilled to curate an invaluable hybrid experience that offers the best of in-person and virtual worlds via a celebration of the resilience, power and achievement of our community and the omnipresence of our culture. The Festival’s virtual programming will include powerful daytime interactive sessions and star-studded evening concerts and connections. Also, in continued partnership with the City of New Orleans and State of Louisiana and under strict adherence to guidance from health agencies, ESSENCE will produce live-to-tape activations available only to local New Orleans and Louisiana residents, honoring essential workers and first responders. The entire Festival, which will present a ‘taste of New Orleans’ and a jam-packed schedule of can’t-miss content centered around culture, equity and celebration, will be broadcast on ESSENCEStudios.com – Friday-Sunday over two weekends, June 25-27 and July 2-4, 2021.

For ongoing updates, including upcoming talent announcements, and additional information, visit ESSENCE.com.

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