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2009 will offer up musical stars like Anita Baker, John Legend, Maxwell, and the return of girl group En Vogue, along with a whole daytime world of visiting authors and religious and political figures including Rev. Al Sharpton and radio host Tom Joyner.

Begun in 1995 as the magazine’s 25th birthday party, Essence Fest – “the largest African-American music and empowerment event in the country,” quoth essencemusicfestival.com -- has grown to attract a reported 270,000 attendees each year. And because no event worth its celery salt in New Orleans takes place in just one area, and with so many people in town for Essence, the city itself becomes a party.
 
From 9a.m. to 6p.m., Friday through Sunday, the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center down by the river hosts the Essence Marketplace and Art Expo. Walking from here to The Superdome also means traversing downtown New Orleans’ temporary miles of tents featuring art, crafts, African imports, cultural and traditional merchandise and festival memorabilia. The food is amazing and every local in town seems to come out to sell burgers and sausage sandwiches, traditional soul food, Creole favorites like gumbo and jambalaya -- pretty much anything that can be cooked in the bed of a truck and carried away in styrofoam (and yet somehow tastes more delicious because of it).
 
Most of New Orleans’ hotels are centrally located along the river, either in the French Quarter or the Central Business District (known as the CBD), and almost all are walking distance from the The Superdome (where the music goes down) and the Convention Center (where the daytime arts market, empowerment seminars, celebrity meet-and-greets and other activities take place). New Orleans is a small city though, and even if you stay at a cute little bed and breakfast in the quaint, local Marigny/Bywater neighborhood to the west, or in a swankier guest house Uptown, to the east, you’ll always be no more than a 15-minute bike ride or a $9 cab away from the Essence action.
 
As you near the party proper, you immediately realize that Essence Fest is as much about the fashion (and with a unique New Orleans flair) as it is about the music. You might almost think that the great music is mere lagniappe (that’s New Orleans talk for “a little something extra”). “Even though it’s a little older crowd, the fashion is still like a hip-hop and rock star kind of vibe,” says former Dirty Dozen Brass Band trombonist Big Sam, whose local New Orleans band, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, has played Essence Fest three times, including a 2008 opening slot for hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash. “Everyone comes to Essence Fest dressed to impress. And not just in a suit or slacks, but some hip-hop gear, or rock-n-roll kind of edgy style.”
 
Entering the Superdome’s main room–entirely seated for Essence Fest, including the floor–resembles a basic arena, albeit newly renovated. From the front row ($130.50 per day, $544.50 for all three days) to the highest tiers ($51 and $200), the Dome is casually packed with a fun, mature crowd who are there to enjoy a bill always perfectly balanced to suit the tastes of both men and women, young and old. Essence Fest entertainment director Cori Murray, says she picks artists for the breadth of their appeal. “Our particular crowd is extremely finicky,” Murray chuckles, “so Essence Fest acts have to be real performers, of a very high caliber. We have to decide not just who our readers would pay to see once, but who they would travel to spend a weekend with.”
 
Which is why, when a certain act kills, Essence Fest sticks with them. Festival regulars include Lionel Richie, Teena Marie, and the aforementioned Mary J, plus locals like the Rebirth Brass Band. One of Essence’s major highlights comes every year on closing night, with world-famous funk group Maze featuring Frankie Beverly (Travelin' Man, Joy and Pain). “Of course rapper Kanye West drew a huge crowd last year,” says Murray, “but the next night with Maze was a whole other level of packed; all the older people dressed in white – a closing night tradition – just thousands and thousands of people doing the ‘Electric Slide’. Closing night is amazing.”
 
But Essence Fest is not a popularity contest. “We cater to the same people who read our magazine,” says Murray, “and though they like hip-hop, they don’t like artists who demean to women. So even if we like a certain rap artist, and they’re really popular, we won’t invite them if their lyrics are peppered with misogyny.” In lieu of Lil Wayne, past Essence rappers have included Common, live hip-hop band The Roots, and repeat performer LL Cool J, who loves the ladies far too much to talk smack about them. 2009 welcomes legendary female rappers Salt-n-Pepa, plus The Knux (formerly the Knuckleheads), a rap duo who grew up in New Orleans but in 2005 relocated to Los Angeles, where they’ve since blown up, big time.
 
“That being said,” Murray ads, “we also don’t shy away from adult-only acts, like comedian Chris Rock in 2008.” Other past Essence Fest comedians and comedic hosts have included Cedric the Entertainer, Steve Harvey, Monique, and Jonathan Slocomb. Bill Cosby is another comedic favorite at Essence, and in 2009, on Women’s Day (a Saturday focusing on female speakers and entertainers), Cosby will help film a segment for CNN’s Black in America TV series. Other Women’s Day guests include CNN political contributor, consultant to ABC News, and author of the best-selling Cooking with Grease: Stirring the Pots in American Politics, Donna Brazile. Also in attendance, Malaak Compton-Rock, who created a Special Events and Celebrity Relations Department for the United Nations Children’s Fund’s that has orchestrated numerous fundraising and advocacy events for UNICEF.
 
Though 2009’s Essence Fest doesn’t feature any stand-up comedy, author, Saturday Night Live alum, and southern boy Finesse Mitchell, who currently pens Essence magazine’s advice column “Oh, Brother!” will be on hand to speak, meet and greet. And on Essence Fest Sunday, the aforementioned Steve Harvey will host a morning celebration in honor of the 30th anniversary of Bishop T.D. Jakes, who presides over the 30,000 memberPotter's House megachurch in Dallas, Texas, and who also led the prayer service at President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration. “The whole Superdome’s gonna be like church,” Murray promises.  
 
Tips for those who attend this year: Make sure to unglue yourself from the main stage every once in a while for snacks (your basic arena food choices, plus New Orleans jambalaya, daiquiris and bloody marys) and don’t miss a whole other atmosphere and experience in the various Ultra Lounge stages, located in the belly of the Superdome. Here the festival’s smaller – but oftentimes just as legendary–musical attractions rock out. While on the main stage Lionel Ritchie reminds you how amazing he is (and who wouldn’t want to sing “Hello” with thousands of their closest friends?), rap legends Public Enemy might be down in the intimate Ultra Lounge urging old-schoolers to Fight the Power!
 
The Ultra Lounge stages are also where you’ll find the fest’s half-dozen New Orleans acts. Locals performing in 2009 include jazz great Irvin Mayfield, powerful R&B singer Marva Wright, blues guitarist Little Freddie King and the ever popular, DJ Soul Sister.
 
Entering the Superdome upon a freshly-dressed crowd watching a glittery Beyonce sweat her heart out won’t remind you of Woodstock, or even the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Fest. Essence Festival is its own wholly unique, totally classy reason to visit the cultural wonder that is New Orleans.