+5 Opinion Will Sutton: An improved Essence Festival deserves financial investment BY WILL SUTTON | Staff columnist Updated Jul 10, 2026 The early reports about the Essence Festival of Culture are in, and the multiple-event was far better than the 2025 fest.
+4 Opinion Will Sutton: New Orleans’ French Quarter problems were too much for Essence Festival ‘essies’ BY WILL SUTTON | Staff columnist Updated Jul 9, 2026 The unexpected Saturday night French Quarter explosion disrupted the fun of some fest-goers at Essence Fest, columnist Will Sutton argues.
+3 Opinion Will Sutton: Essence is back. Not the festival. The magazine. Another way to say they love Louisiana BY WILL SUTTON | Staff columnist Updated Jul 9, 2026 Essence was a monthly in my youth days. It became a six-times-a-year publication, then a quarterly publication.
+4 Opinion Will Sutton: For Essence Fest, here’s where to see Black culture, Black excellence in New Orleans BY WILL SUTTON | Staff columnist Updated Jul 9, 2026 I love the Essence Festival of Culture. The annual July event provides so much pleasure — and, as Frankie Beverly would say, happy feelings.
+4 Opinion Will Sutton: Hair discrimination is real, and momentum to end it must continue BY WILL SUTTON | Staff columnist Updated Jun 16, 2026 Faith Fennidy cried when her mother told her she couldn’t continue to attend the school she loved.
+2 Opinion Will Sutton: Attend the Essence Festival vaccinated, boosted and masked. Quit whining. BY WILL SUTTON | Staff columnist Updated Jun 16, 2026 The organizers of the 2022 Essence Festival of Culture are right to require that participants at its mostly indoors events be vaccinated.