After a long two-year hiatus, the hotly-anticipated Essence Festival of Culture is finally back.
The iconic festival kickstarted Thursday and will run through Sunday with a star-studded line-up taking to the stage at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
The annual fest typically draws in over half a million people, and it’s safe to assume this year’s attendance rate will be at an all-time high as it’s the first in-person event since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The entertainment extravaganza celebrates a wide range of black artists from music to comedy to black-owned businesses and conventions.Music icon Janet Jackson is set to rock out on Saturday night. She will cap the night following performances from Jazmine Sullivan, Summer Walker, Lucky Daye, and D-Nice & Friends featuring Carl Thomas and Stephanie Mills.