NEW ORLEANS—If there was one thing the 2026 Essence Festival of Culture proved, it’s that knowing your audience never goes out of style. Offstage, the convention center echoed that same energy with conversations, wellness experiences, shopping, and brand activations all designed with Black women at the center. The 2026 Essence Festival of Culture was once again produced by longtime partner Team Epiphany, guided by the theme “Ladies First." For the 2026 festival, The Coca-Cola Company expanded its presence beyond its flagship soda brand, bringing Smartwater and Simply into the experience alongside Coca-Cola. The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is slated to open its long-awaited Omni New Orleans headquarters hotel come 2030.