Hey hey! If you read my last entry, you know I headed down to New Orleans for Essence Festival this year. I promised you those tips and tricks for attending so let’s hop right in. 

Airport:

All of the airlines operated out of what I’d call one terminal, so if your friends come in on another airline, you can walk to their gate. This is helpful if you’re arriving around the same time. Just grab a seat at a bar, charge your phone, or grab some food. This way you can split the Uber or cab. I will say, I found cabs to be cheaper than rideshare apps down there, but be sure to have cash on hand, just in case. 

Convention Center:

Day 1 we went straight to the convention center after dropping off our bags at the hotel. Make sure to eat! The part that I still don’t understand was the time spent on line for food. There are different vendors, all with just a handful of items on the menu. The food was already cooked instead of made to order, but they were all just living that breezy, relaxed take your time life. I hate to complain and try to have a positive outlook always, but we were on line for about 45 minutes for some already-cooked chicken wings. So, I would highly recommend you eat before you go, or head to the food court on the water just behind the convention center. 

Transportation:

Our hotel wasn’t across the street from the convention center, but there were a few. If you can snag an affordable hotel here, do it. You’ll save on waiting for our ride. Because of the street closures, we waited about 40 minutes for our driver that was about 7 minutes away when she started. By then she had an attitude of course, so it was a bit awkward. 

The City:

Explore New Orleans. You’re there for the festival, but don’t forget about the restaurants, music, shops, bars and people in the area. One night after the concert, we walked the neighborhood around our hotel and ran into a ton of live music – my favorite!

Food and Drink:

Drink water. Especially if you’re going to be drinking. Bring extra electrolyte powders if you have. Stock up on bottles to keep for when you come back from the festivities. 

If you have dietary restrictions, you might struggle. I have seafood allergies, so it’s almost impossible to go to a restaurant in New Orleans and find something I can eat as many places use the same utensils and cooking surfaces. Remember to ask your server to check and always disclose that it’s because of an allergy, and not pickiness. 

It’s going to be hot. It’s the south of the south. In summer. Bring sunscreen, loose clothing, and be ready to sweat. 

Daytime:

Before getting on a line, figure out what it’s for. There were so many long lines, and when asking what people were waiting for, the amount of times we were told that they didn’t even know was so silly. It usually turned out to be for a reusable bag. Next. 

Download the app. You’ll need it to get in the convention center, even though it’s free. Plus it has the schedule of events and where everything is. Read through it all. Sometimes a session title won’t sound exciting, but then you’ll see your favorite celeb is speaking at it. The notifications are constant, but they also let you know about surprise performances. Add your favorite sessions to your schedule to get reminders and see a condensed view. 

Nighttime:

The concert will not start on time and will not stay on schedule. They did release the approximate lineup times, so see who you want to see and know you could be there until 2am. I’d recommend if you want to see the first act to be in your seat by 7pm. We got our tickets before they even released who would be performing and they were super affordable. The tickets were good for the same seats all three days. Our seats were in the 600 sections and we could see just fine. 

Clear bags. So many people were upset they didn’t know this ahead of time. To get into the concerts, you’ll need them, or a small clutch. And by clutch I mean wallet. We saw so many people turned away. Just leave it home to avoid being denied. 

There were a ton of after parties if you don’t have tickets. There were also a ton of people selling tickets in the official Instagram account’s comments. Always be careful, but you have options in case it’s sold out. 

Have fun! You’re going to be tired. Take it all in and rest later. Here’s a recap reel of the entire weekend. 

Until next time…

– Jae Marie