🎤 Beats, Black Girl Magic & Bourbon Street: The 2025 ESSENCE Fest Is Taking Over NOLA (And Honey, So Are We!)

By Karen Brem, Marketing Director, Historic Mardi Gras Inn

COMING SOON!!!

Hey party people, music lovers, and cultural connoisseurs—this is Karen Brem, your favorite Marketing Director for the ever-fabulous Historic Mardi Gras Inn in New Orleans, Louisiana. And baby, buckle up because ESSENCE Festival of Culture presented by Coca-Cola is back and ready to blow the roof off the Big Easy this July 3–6, 2025!

Yes, you heard that right. Four days of unapologetically Black excellence, empowerment, and non-stop music, food, fashion, and fun—all happening right here in our electric city that never sleeps and always sips.

Let me tell you why our LGBTQ+ owned and operated inn is the place to be during this vibrant celebration. We’ve just completed a jaw-dropping, floor-to-ceiling glow-up, honey—and let’s just say we’re lookin’ cute, clean, and ready to host you with all the Southern charm and sass you deserve.

🎉 Let’s Get Into the ESSENCE of It All

ESSENCE Festival 2025 is serving legendary energy and community vibes, and the lineup is dripping with talent that’ll have you two-stepping in the street, heels in hand.

Here’s a rundown of the weekend:

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📍 Main Events & Locations

🗓️ July 3–6, 2025
📍 Caesars Superdome (1500 Sugar Bowl Dr.) – Evening Concerts
📍 Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (900 Convention Center Blvd.) – Daytime Experiences
📍 French Quarter & Beyond – Pop-Ups, Parties, Panels, and Parades, oh my!

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🔥 Evening Concerts at the Superdome (Each night, 7:00 PM until the walls sweat)

• Missy Elliott – she’s back and still can’t stand the rain!
  
• Usher – ready to serenade and slay those falsettos.
  
• Megan Thee Stallion – get your knees stretched now. You’ve been warned.
  
• Fantasia, Jill Scott, and Chlöe Bailey—because the vocals will be SNATCHED.
  
• Plus: Surprise collabs, legends, and up-and-comers lighting the stage on fire.
  

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🌞 Daytime Events at the Convention Center (9:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily)

• Essence Beauty Carnival – because your contour deserves a front-row seat.
  
• Wellness House – yoga, mental health panels, and soul-soothing talks.
  
• Tech Summit – innovation meets melanin magic.
  
• Essence Eats™ – don’t even try to diet. Gumbo, po’boys, beignets, oh my!
  
• Global Black Economic Forum – meet the moguls shaping our future.
  
• Author’s Alley – sip some coffee, meet some Black literary queens & kings.
  

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💃 After Dark in the French Quarter… Oh, You Better Believe It

Now, after you’ve soaked up all the empowerment, get ready to turn that glow into a glisten. The adult nightlife in the French Quarter is calling—and we’re just one block away from the center of all the delicious decadence. Whether you’re vibing with live brass bands or sipping cocktails from a courtyard lounge, ESSENCE Fest after dark is where legends are made.

And when you need to stumble—uh, stroll—back to your room, we’re only a two-minute walk to the streetcar and one block off Bourbon Street. Convenience meets class, darling.

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🏩 Why Stay With Us?

We’re not trying to flex, but… okay, we are. The Historic Mardi Gras Inn is LGBTQ+ owned and operated, and we’ve just wrapped a site-wide renovation so fierce, even Beyoncé would say, “You did that.” From our crisp sheets to our charming courtyard, we keep it clean, comfy, and yes—affordable.

We don’t promise the moon (just clean affordable accommodations and a warm, welcoming staff who make your stay feel like a homecoming), but we do guarantee vibes that feel like family.

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📣 Book That Long Weekend, Boo!

ESSENCE Fest 2025 is not a “pop in for a day” kind of event. It’s a Thursday-to-Sunday, eat too much, dance too hard, laugh ‘til you cry kinda weekend. So, pack your heels, your headwraps, and your glitter—we’ve got a room with your name on it. But don’t wait—rooms will sell out faster than a hot plate at Essence Eats™!

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So whether you’re here to level up your business game, celebrate your inner hot girl, or just vibe with 500,000 of your closest culture-loving friends—make the Historic Mardi Gras Inn your headquarters for the ultimate ESSENCE Festival experience.

And remember, all are welcome, all are celebrated, and all are encouraged to indulge in the grown-folks fun that makes New Orleans the most deliciously over-the-top place on Earth.

See you in July, baby—where culture meets cocktails, and every night is ESSENCE.

Book now at Historic Mardi Gras Inn or call us before your cousin snatches your room!

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ACCOMMODATIONS CALL US DIRECTLY AT 504.949.5815 OR I.800.209.9408. YOU MAY ALSO VISIT US AT historicmardigrasinn.com.