Earlier this year I had the opportunity to attend my first Essence Music Festival which just happened to be their 25th anniversary. With this being my first I noticed that there are so many aspects to attending Essence that it became overwhelming for some of my group. Since there is so much going on during the weekend, in and outside of Essence, I wanted to share a few (hopefully helpful) tips for anyone interested in attending in the future. Get planning for Essence Festival 2020 with this planning guide.
Where & When?
Essence takes place in New Orleans, usually falling on the first Friday-Sunday of July every year. This year however Essence Music Festival will begin on Wednesday ending on Sunday, taking place on July 1-5, 2020. Most people usually start arriving that Thursday leaving on Monday. If you’re flying or taking the train, book early because prices will be higher than normal. The day events take place in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and the concerts in the evening at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Book your Accommodations ASAP!
As soon as one Essence Fest finishes, planning for the next begins. Many tend to book their accommodations before they even leave New Orleans. Travel agents reserve blocks of rooms immediately until early February. And the rest is up for grabs. Hotels, Airbnb and hostels go fast during this weekend so book quick. Remember, besides Essence Fest this is also a holiday weekend for some and peak bachelorette season for others. Be it solo or with a group, try and book where you’ll lay your head and wash up as early as you can. If you want to be in walking distance of the convention center and Superdome start your search in the French quarter, central business district or art district.
Booking Flights
Because it’s never to early to book a flight it’s also never to early to start watching flight prices. If you’ve decided to attend Essence Festival and you’re not in driving, train or bus distance it’s time to start looking at flights. Be sure to set flight alerts to MSY as soon as your dates have been decided and confirmed. Consider arriving several days before the festival to get settled and explore some of the great thins New Orleans has to offer.
To Rent a car or not?
Unless you’re driving from another state, renting a car is not necessary. New Orleans is a very walkable city and also has streetcars, taxi, and Lyft/Uber for the times you don’t want to walk.
Schedules are Fluid
Plan your schedule but be flexible. Essence has developed an app that houses all essence festival events from the convention center to the concerts, after dark and more. USE THE APP! It’s great and keeps everything in one place for you. HOWEVER…there are so many events around town outside of essence. There is no shortage of pop-up events/stores/classes, day parties, white parties, brunches and boat parties. My First day of Essence I decided to run with Essence all day, from the convention center in the morning to the concert at night. The other two days I went with the flow of things. And let’s not forget traffic, it’s real and you can’t avoid it. My second day, I was stuck in traffic for almost 2hrs because I was still too far to walk. I missed several events I wanted to hit during that time but guess what…I didn’t care because I was still having a great time and there were more events to attend for days.
When should I get my tickets?
Essence releases a 3-night pass and a single night pass. Though the concert line up is not usually released until early spring, guests can grab early bird 3-night passes on sale around mid-November. Be sure to keep up with the website, Instagram and Twitter for all ticket and lineup announcements. Tickets are currently available now via Ticketmaster.
Pack RESPECT & PATIENCE
Essence Fest is said to bring in about 400,000+ guests yearly so patience and respect are key. Lines will be long, rooms full and events sold out. It’s okie! Someone may bump into you accidentally, walk through a photo you’re attempting to capture or stand in front of you at an event (hey I’m 4’11 on a good day) I get it. Again, it’s okie. Don’t allow any of this take dampen your experience. Be the bigger person and keep it moving.
Enjoy & have fun!
Need more information? Make sure to download the app AND sign up for Essence Festival 2020 updates to stay in the know! Be sure to share your personal Essence experience or planning tips below.

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