Was it the concerts? The free giveaways? The hour-long lines? Ask five people what the Essence Festival of Culture is, and you'll probably get five different answers.
I spent three days inside the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center expecting to write about what was happening around the festival. Instead, I found the real story inside it.
Here's the debrief.
A festival with roots that run deep
Essence began in 1970 as a magazine created for Black women who were largely overlooked by mainstream media. The festival followed in 1995 and has grown into one of the country's biggest celebrations of Black culture.
This year came with extra attention after criticism of last year's festival and changes in company leadership. That history lingered in the background, even if most people came simply to enjoy the weekend.
Walking in is part of the story
There's no "normal" way to enter Essence Fest.
Some mornings, I walked right in. Other times, people were still in line after programming had already started.
Once inside, it splits into two: daytime programming at the convention center is open to everyone. Evening concerts at the Superdome are ticketed separately — a detail that still catches plenty of first-timers off guard.
Inside: loud, crowded, but moving
The convention center floor feels like New Orleans turned all the way up.
Music in one corner. Panels in another. Food vendors, beauty booths, community organizations, and thousands of people weaving through it all.
It is crowded. Always. But it never felt out of control.
Online, there's plenty of debate about whether Essence has become too commercial or simply grown with its audience. Walking the floor, I could see why both sides make that argument.
Then there's the heat. Outside temperatures pushed into dangerous territory, so the weekend became a rhythm of walking, stopping, cooling down and doing it all over again.
Nights everyone talked about — even if you weren't there
I didn't make it to the Superdome concerts, but I didn't have to.
The Brandy and Monica performance became one of the weekend's biggest talking points. Attendees described technical issues, long pauses between segments, and a show that stretched late into the night. Some loved it. Others left early.
Elsewhere, the weekend featured a tribute to Aaliyah curated by Missy Elliott and programming led by Teyana Taylor as Chief Curator.
Even without a concert ticket, you couldn't miss the conversation.
The panels: where the pace slows down
Step into a session room and the energy changes.
The advice wasn't always new, but hearing it in a room full of people who had traveled to be there made it feel different.
A wellness track offered a place to escape the crowds, while other sessions focused on business, leadership and legacy.
One standout conversation between Bernice King and Ilyasah Shabazz centered on history, responsibility and carrying forward a family's legacy.
It was one of the quietest moments of the weekend — and one of the most memorable.
Food and small discoveries
The food inside the convention center was mostly familiar New Orleans fare.
I grabbed brisket fries from Smokey Jeaux and cooled off with Happy Ice between long walks across the building. The food wasn't revolutionary, but discovering smaller vendors was part of the fun.
After hours on your feet, a place to sit, clean restrooms and a cold drink start feeling like luxuries.
The waiting game
If Essence Fest has a second currency, it's time.
I stood in a Target line for more than an hour. Other brand activations moved a little faster, but everywhere you turned, somebody was waiting for something.
BeautyCon was the busiest spot on the floor. At peak times, moving through the crowd became its own challenge. Many attendees suggested spreading vendors throughout the convention center or using timed entry to ease the congestion.
Standing in the middle of it, those ideas made sense.
Beyond the headlines
Away from the busiest areas, another version of Essence Fest comes into focus.
Community organizations shared space with Black-owned businesses. Conversations about voting rights, environmental justice, entrepreneurship and technology happened just steps away from fashion and beauty booths.
One stop that caught my attention featured an AI assistant built specifically with Black users in mind, sitting comfortably alongside local vendors and nonprofits.
That's what surprised me most about Essence Fest. It's easy to think of it as concerts and celebrities, but there's just as much happening between the headlines.
What stayed with me
Security was visible throughout the weekend, and despite the crowds, I never felt unsafe.
After three days, my feet were sore, my phone was full and my tote bag was heavier than when I walked in.
Whether Essence Fest is changing or simply growing depends on who you ask. What I saw was thousands of people gathering in one place to celebrate Black culture, support Black businesses and spend a weekend together.
The concerts have ended, the booths are packed up, but the group chat is still arguing.
This story was produced by the Gulf States Newsroom, a collaboration between Mississippi Public Broadcasting, WBHM in Alabama, WWNO and WRKF in Louisiana and NPR.