The Essence Festival has begun in New Orleans, offering three days of events focused on women empowerment, fashion, health, and beauty, while providing a significant economic boost to the city.
Crowds are thickening as the festival gets underway, with police directing traffic near the convention center. Traffic is jam-packed, with lines of cars stretching from Poydras Street to the interstate as locals and tourists arrive.
Alexi Giles, a visitor from South Carolina, is among the thousands enjoying the festival and sampling the city’s food. “It feels delicious,” Giles said when asked about the food. “I had the barbecue shrimp grits.”…