Day One of the 2024 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ Presented By Coca-Cola® kicked off the four-day celebration of 30 years of loving us by honoring the long-standing festival headliner – the city of New Orleans. Mayor LaToya Cantrell of New Orleans and ESSENCE Ventures President & CEO Caroline Wanga, alongside members of the executive leadership team, set the tone of this year’s event by offering remarks at the 2024 Press Welcome Event and Immersion, highlighting the annual economic and cultural impact of the ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ on the local New Orleans community and greater state of Louisiana.
The welcome remarks were followed by local immersions that showcase the rich cultural heritage of the city of New Orleans, including an installation featuring local artists on display throughout Gallier Hall, a cooking demonstration that introduced a modern spin on classic Creole dishes at the Selina Catahoula New Orleans Rooftop, a sip and sew led by the master of Black Masking suit designs Shaka Zulu, and showcasing the visual art community during a tours of the Contemporary Arts Centerand John Scott Center – underscoring the commitment by the festival, to amplify the indelible cultural beacons across New Orleans.
Following the 2024 Press Welcome Event and Immersion, cultural curator and world renowned DJ, D-Nice, started off the soundtrack to the 2024 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ Presented By Coca-Cola® birthday celebration during Club Quarantine Live After Dark with D-Nice and Special Guests at the Fillmore New Orleans. The revolutionary virtual event that brought millions together during the isolation of the pandemic has evolved to an offline experience that encourages connectivity and community IRL. It can’t be a party for us without a long list of special guests. Notable performers and guests included Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Eric Benét, iconic R&B group Jade, chart-topping singer and songwriter J. Valentine, radio host Kenny Burns, saxophonist Mike Phillips, Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Raheem Devaughn, chart-topping R&B duo Ruff Endz, and iconic singer and songwriter Sunshine Anderson. Music for the event was provided by award-winning comedian and host Deon Cole and legendary producer and songwriter Bryan-Michael Cox.
