Famous Girlfriends Spotted Hanging Out At ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
From Ava and Oprah to Tisha and Tichina, EFOC is always a great time for girlfriends, including the celebrity ones. See them having a time in NOLA at Festival over the years.
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 04: (L-R) Kelly Rowland, Missy Elliott, Solange Knowles and Beyonce Knowles pose for a photo at St. Heron’s ’17 Wards’ Weekend Wine & Grind for Essence Festival at Etoile Polaire No 1 on July 4, 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Josh Brasted/Getty Images)
In addition to the gorgeous guys and the boo’d up couples you can find in New Orleans for ESSENCE Festival of Culture, we can’t forget that our annual event, which will turn 30 in July, is probably most attended by friends. On a flight to NOLA right before ESSENCE Festival, you’re likely to see rows of Black women traveling with their best friends, their sisters, and other communities of women, to make it in town in time to enjoy all the fun that’s had. They come in celebratory shirts, hair in protective styles, full of joy, ready to make memories and turn up.
In our EFOC issue in 2022, women talked about how they made lifelong friends at the event. In “It’s the Sisterhood for Me,” Nabila Belgrave and Tinika Thomas, whose idea to go to the Festival in 2004 together, shared that the trip ended up growing into a massive girls getaway with their coworkers and girlfriends. More than 20 flew into New Orleans for a good time, including to see the late Prince in concert.
“We had a lot of people who were definitely Prince fans, and that was the highlight,” Belgrave said. “To this day, we call ourselves the ESSENCE Crew.”
Celebrity girlfriends are also frequent visitors of EFOC. They host panels together, perform on stage, and are in the crowd during the concerts that take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. They’re also captured by EFOC photographers living their best lives, enjoying the good vibes found in the Crescent City this time of year. As the clock winds down and we prepare to head to New Orleans for this year’s party with a purpose, check out all the BFFs and good girlfriends who’ve been captured by cameras at ESSENCE Festival and hanging out at all the parties and events that take place when we’re in town.
01
01
Jada Pinkett Smith and Queen Latifah in 2017
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 01: Jada Pinkett Smith, left, Queen Latifah from the movie Girls Trips speak during the Essence Music Festival at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 1, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images for Universal)
02
02
LeToya Luckett and Keri Hilson in 2016
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 01: Singers LeToya Luckett and Keri Hilson attend the 2016 ESSENCE Festival presented by Coca Cola at the Louisiana Superdome on July 1, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for 2016 Essence Festival)
03
03
Kelly Rowland, Missy Elliott, Solange and Beyoncé in 2015
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 04: (L-R) Kelly Rowland, Missy Elliott, Solange Knowles and Beyonce Knowles pose for a photo at St. Heron’s ’17 Wards’ Weekend Wine & Grind for Essence Festival at Etoile Polaire No 1 on July 4, 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Josh Brasted/Getty Images)
04
04
Simone Smith and Mary J. Blige in 2018
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 06: Simone I. Smith (L) and Mary J. Blige attend the 2018 Essence Festival – Day 1 on July 6, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
05
05
Missy Elliott and Tweet in 2015
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 04: Missy Elliott (L) and Tweet pose for a photo at St. Heron’s ’17 Wards’ Weekend Wine & Grind for Essence Festival at Etoile Polaire No 1 on July 4, 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Josh Brasted/Getty Images)
06
06
Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold in 2018
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 07: Tisha Campbell-Martin and Tichina Arnold attend the 2018 Essence Festival – Night 2 at Louisiana Superdome on July 7, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/WireImage)
07
07
Ava DuVernay and Oprah Winfrey in 2016
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 02: Director Ava DuVernay and Oprah Winfrey speak onstage during the 2016 ESSENCE Festival presented By Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 2, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2016 Essence Festival)
08
08
Sanaa Lathan and Gabrielle Union in 2009
Sanaa Lathan and Gabriel Union attend the 2009 Essence Music Festival Presented by Coca-Cola at the Louisiana Superdome on July 4, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
09
09
Taraji P. Henson and Danielle Brooks in 2023
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JUNE 30: Taraji P. Henson and Danielle Brooks attend The 2023 Essence Festival Of Culture on June 30, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
10
10
Chloe and Halle Bailey in 2022
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JULY 02: (L-R): Chloe Bailey and Halle of Chloe and Halle Bailey perform during the 2022 Essence Festival of Culture at the Caesars Superdome on July 02, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Erika Goldring/WireImage,)
11
11
“P-Valley” Co-Stars Brandee Evans and Shannon Thornton in 2023
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JUNE 30: Brandee Evans and Shannon Thornton attend night 1 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on June 30, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
12
12
Evelyn Lozada and Shaunie O’Neal in 2012
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 08: TV personalities Evelyn Lozada and Shaunie O’Neal attend the 2012 Essence Music Festival at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 8, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/WireImage)
The ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ presented by Coca-Cola® will take place July 4-7. For more information and updates on the festival, visit our website and follow us on social media @ESSENCEFest on X, Facebook, and Instagram.
