Lineup, Free Events & Watch Livestream Free
With summer in full swing and Juneteenth approaching, festival season is finally here and the 2023 Essence Festival of Culture is slated to debut next in line.
Thrown by Essence, the long-standing Black-female-centered magazine, the Essence Festival of Culture is considered the largest Black culture and music event in the United States.
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Around 500,000 people journey to the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans every year for the highly anticipated occasion, which this year will be held from June 29 to July 3. The three-day festival is an epic intersection of arts, culture and concerts, with Ms. Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliott, Megan Thee Stallion and more A-list stars set to perform.
Here, WWD lists everything to know about the 2023 Essence Festival (often called Essence Fest for short), including how to attend some of the daytime events for free.
What is Essence Festival?
Initially held as a one-time event in 1995 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Essence Magazine, Essence Festival has bloomed into an annual event that celebrates beauty, fashion and overall lifestyle.
“In its 29th year since inception, the 2023 Essence Festival of Culture, presented by Coca-Cola remains a staple in the Black community and a special place where every day is a celebration of the Black woman as CEO of home, culture and community,” God-is Rivera, the chief content officer of Essence Ventures told WWD in a statement.
What is the lineup for Essence Festival?
The three-day festival includes a number of events to attend, including evening concert series with A-list performers.
Announced earlier this year, the 2023 Essence Festival will feature performances by Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliott, Megan Thee Stallion, Tems, Wizkid, Doug E. Fresh, Jill Scott, Salt-N-Peppa and more.
In 2022, the evening concert series was headlined by Janet Jackson, Nicki Minaj and New Edition.
How to attend Essence Festival free events?
All of the daytime events at Essence Festival are completely free to attend, including a range of pop-ups, installations, panels and more.
Partnering with Target, Coca-Cola, L’Oréal, Disney and AT&T, this year’s festival will include a food and wine festival, a marketplace, the New Voices Village, a community corner and a Global Black Economic Forum and Village.
In addition, the 2023 Essence Festival will include an Essence GU Kickback after party and an Afropunk Krewe Ball. To get tickets to this year’s Essence Festival, including the evening concerts and free daytime events, visit
How to Livestream 2023 Essence Festival of Culture
Announced earlier in June, the 2023 Essence Festival of Culture is available to stream live on Hulu. All three nights of musical performances (including the headliners and other special acts), can be watched on Hulu with a Hulu or Hulu (no ads) base plan subscription.
Although subscription fees begin at $7.99 per month, Hulu does currently offer a free trial. This is the second year in a row the streaming service has showcased the festival, with 2022 being the first time the festival was available to watch on a streaming service.
