ESSENCE Festival’s $1 Billion Economic Impact—And Our Plan to Keep More Dollars Local – Essence

Summer in New Orleans doesn’t officially kick off until ESSENCE Festival of Culture rolls through town. If you know, you know.

And like years prior, this year will surely be a time. From the concerts that have us losing our voices, the beauty booths where we stock up on freebies for the year, and see some of our favorite speakers offering life-changing advice on the main stage—there’s a method to our magic. And that method is in the form of economic transformation.

As previously reported, the 2024 ESSENCE Festival pumped a whopping $346.3 million into New Orleans during its 30th anniversary. That’s $30 million more than the previous year. Thirty. Million. Dollars. More.

We showed UP and showed OUT, with festival-goers spending an average of $3,135 during their NOLA stay. That breaks down to about $847 per day on hotels, restaurants, transportation, shopping, and if we’re being real, a hurricane or two during those late nights on Bourbon Street. All that spending created 2,642 jobs and generated $113.7 million in income for local workers. Since 2022, we’ve generated nearly $1 billion in economic impact for the city. Let that sink in for a minute.

However, despite all this money flowing, a 2024 economic study found that about $70 million leaked out of the local economy. This is money that could’ve gone into the pockets of Black business owners who help make New Orleans the cultural gem that it is. So we’re doing something about it. 

As we gear up to celebrate 55 years of being the voice for Black women, we’re expanding our 2025 Pipeline Initiative to make sure more of our dollars stay where they belong—in the community.

“At New Voices Foundation, our mission is to unlock access, capital, and capacity-building for underrepresented entrepreneurs—and the ESSENCE Pipeline Initiative delivers on all fronts,” said Richelyna Hall, Chief Impact Officer at New Voices Foundation. “We’re proud to partner with Essence on this program that drives real economic opportunity while centering culture, community, and inclusion for New Orleans area entrepreneurs.”

First launched in 2019 in collaboration with the Urban League of Louisiana, the New Orleans Multicultural Tourism Network (NOMTN), and Louisiana Economic Development (LED), The Pipeline Initiative connects local service-based businesses with actual contracts to work the festival, plus training, grants, and visibility through our ESSENCE Entrepreneur Directory.

For 2025, we’re casting an even wider net. There are opportunities spanning everything from audio-visual services and décor to catering, staging, staffing, transportation, legal work, design, IT. So basically, if you run a service-based business in NOLA, ESSENCE wants to talk to you.

“Having just launched Burton Transit in April 2018, the ESSENCE Pipeline Program was a tremendous help in building our company’s brand, establishing credibility, and opening doors to a national platform,” said a representative from Burton Transit.

In a city like New Orleans, where Black creativity, resilience, and entrepreneurship are literally baked into every aspect of the culture, the support of Black owned businesses is essential. So if you run a business in New Orleans and want to get involved, you can submit an Expression of Interest through our ESSENCE Entrepreneur Management System (EMS) portal. And if you’re just planning to attend? Well, now you know your festival budget is not only contributing to your fun 4th of July weekend, but also building up the community at the same time.