The Fourth of July weekend at the 2008 Essence Music Festival was a celebrity explosion of cultural celebrations, spiritual empowerment and celebrity performances. The event that began as a “one-time” celebration to honor the 25th anniversary of Essence has evolved into a cross-generational celebration of Black culture and entertainment. That’s why it’s fitting that the festival takes place in the New Orleans with its rich history rooted in music, tradition, and cultural pride. I had the opportunity to experience the excitement first hand as a guest of McDonalds and Chevy during this weekend of fun.

My adventure began at the convention center as emerging leaders and unsung heroes took center stage at the “McDonalds 365 Black Awards” hosted by past honoree Tom Joyner. The private event serves as a tribute to African American leaders who are positively impacting the lives of African Americans each day. The 2008 honorees included Dr. Johnetta Cole, CNN journalist Roland Martin, recently retired Chief Marketing Officer Bill Lamar and McDonald’s operator and chairman/CEO of National Black McDonalds Operators Association, Ernie, Adair.

On the main floor of the festival itself, attendees had an overwhelming array of activities to choose from. McDonalds featured live performances, celebrity appearances and guest DJ’s, while the Coca Cola booth patrons could win ticket upgrades for concerts while sampling products. Pantene featured hair consultations and a model search as a part of their “My Black Is Beautiful” campaign, while Vaseline featured celebrity appearances by Sanaa Latham, Solange, and Detroit’s own Shaun Robinson. Chevy, however, definitely held center stage with a full display of their product line and debut of the brand new Traverse. Consumers were given a chance to sign up to test drive the new 2008 fuel- saving Malibu with OnStar and watch performances by Chevy’s Green Team Dance troupe and various college step teams. Additionally, patrons could receive health screenings, attend seminars or browse the Essence Marketplace featuring vendors and quality arts and crafts by African Americans from around the world.

As thought provoking and intellectually stimulating our day time activities were, the night time was the right time to party! The Superdome offered a variety of entertainment choices with concerts that evoked nostalgia, and hysteria. Stand out performances included Chris Brown, Jill Scott, and Rihanna on the main stage, while the Chevy Super Lounge featured Solange with a special performance of her new single “I Decided”. Other concert highlights included the reunion of Patti LaBelle, Sarah Dash and Nona Hendryx for a performance of “Lady Marmalade”, Frankie Beverly and Maze, Kanye West, Keyshia Cole, J Holiday, Mary J. Blige and Musiq.

Visit www.essencemusicfestival.com to see highlights of the 2008 festivities.