(Vickie Jean-Baptiste | Sierra Lyons for YR Media)
New Orleans welcomed back the ESSENCE Festival of Culture for its 30th anniversary this Fourth of July weekend.
ESSENCE Magazine’s primary demographic is 18 to 44-year-old Black women with an average household income of $90,000. A popular colloquialism within the Black community is “rich auntie vibes” which references a demographic of Black women who are often willing to spend big on events and experiences, especially in the name of self-care and preservation. Gen Z is often regarded as the generation that highly prioritizes self-care and shows they can also have the “rich auntie vibe.”
Daytime activities at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center offered countless photo ops, panels featuring actors, politicians, and religious leaders, food vendors and a film festival.
But the main attraction was Beautycon where thousands of dollars worth of free hair care, makeup, and other beauty products were dispersed to approximately thousands of festival attendees. Guests received free samples and full-size products from brands like Mielle, L’Oreal, Vaseline, LaRoche Posay, and Disney. Lines were lengthy, with some having wait times past an hour and often shut down for brands to restock for popular brands like Target which may have wait times up to an hour as attendees hope to get free merch and limited edition tote bags.
The festival which began in 1995 as a celebration of ESSENCE Magazine’s 25th anniversary is the largest African American music and culture festival in the United States and has drawn larger crowds than popular festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza over the years. Throughout three decades, iconic Black musicians like Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Beyoncé, just to name a few, have headlined the festival. This year, the three-day event which included nighttime concerts at Ceasar’s Superdome featured Birdman, Usher, and Janet Jackson as headliners and a special tribute to Frankie Beverly.
Although opting out of the concerts can save guests money, the trip can still be costly as travel, lodging, and preparation for the trip can quickly add up. According to ESSENCE’s 2023 Economic Impact report, direct visitor spending on food/beverage, hotel/lodging, retail, transportation, and entertainment generated $180 million in revenue for the New Orleans metropolitan area last year. The event is expected to generate similar revenue this year.
YR Media asked a Gen Z attendee how much money they spent on travel, lodging, fashion, beauty treatments and additional excursions and why they’re willing to spend big on this event.
Vickie Jean-Baptiste, 26
Boston, MA
Flight: $450
Hotel: $400
Clothes, Shoes, Accessories: $250
Hair, Nails, Makeup: $350
Excursions: $350
Concert: Purchasing a ticket at the door for the Saturday night show
| Flight | $450 |
| Hotel | $400 |
| Clothes, Shoes, Accessories | $250 |
| Hair, Nails, Makeup | $350 |
| Excursions | $350 |
| Concert | Purchasing a ticket at the door for the Saturday night show |
Sierra Lyons (she/her) is a Brooklyn-based journalist from Florida who covers race, education, Christianity and politics. Follow her on X @sierra_298.
Edited by Nykeya Woods