Coca-Cola® Announces All-Star Lineup and Cultural Experiences for the 2026 Essence Festival of Culture®
Destin Conrad, Coi Leray and Mario Headline Coca-Cola® Stage as Brand Celebrates 31 Years of Partnership with ESSENCE Festival of Culture®
Coca-Cola® today announced its entertainment lineup and cultural programming for the 2026 ESSENCE Festival of Culture®, taking place July 3-5, 2026, in New Orleans. Celebrating its 31st consecutive year as a festival partner, Coca-Cola will feature performances from rising R&B star, Destin Conrad, chart-topping performer, Coi Leray, and Grammy-nominated R&B artist, Mario, alongside community activations, HBCU programming and immersive experiences from Coca-Cola®, Simply® and smartwater®.
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Coca-Cola's activation at the 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Photo: Dorothy Hong
The performances are part of Coca-Cola's broader festival platform, which brings together Coca-Cola®, Simply® and smartwater® under one unified experience centered on music, culture, wellness, and connection.
Now in its 31st year as a partner of the ESSENCE Festival of Culture®, Coca-Cola continues to support one of the nation's most influential cultural gatherings while contributing to the festival's lasting impact on New Orleans. In 2025 alone, the festival generated more than $321 million in economic impact, supported 2,436 jobs and generated more than $103 million in income for local workers and businesses, reinforcing its role as one of the region's most significant annual economic drivers.
Festivalgoers can experience a diverse lineup of entertainment, conversations and interactive activations across Coca-Cola's footprint.
At the center of the experience is Shine City’s Sisterhood Ave, an immersive destination inspired by the neighborhoods, gathering places and communities where culture is created every day. The space will feature live programming, storytelling, musical moments and opportunities for meaningful connection.
As part of its commitment to community investment and empowerment, Coca-Cola will host programming tied to its ongoing partnership with the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, INC (NCBW), highlighting leadership, economic empowerment, and community impact.
Coca-Cola will also bring it’s The World Is My Yard platform to the festival with a special HBCU-inspired activation featuring Eva Marcille and a performance by the World Famed Tiger Marching Band from Grambling State University. The experience will celebrate the legacy, pride and cultural influence of Historically Black Colleges and Universities through music, engagement and community experiences, while welcoming participation from HBCU partners throughout the weekend. As part of the activation, representatives from 15 HBCUs will host dedicated office hours, providing prospective students and their families with an opportunity to learn more about admissions, academic programs, campus life and educational pathways. By creating direct access to these institutions within one of the festival's most dynamic spaces, Coca-Cola is helping connect future students with valuable resources and opportunities while amplifying the visibility of HBCUs on a national stage.
Additional festival programming will feature returning hosts Jamila Mustafa and Charles Beloved, who will guide audiences through conversations, performances and special moments across Coca-Cola's footprint. The celebration will also include appearances by Ryan Destiny and Normani as part of Coca-Cola's "If Not For My Girls" programming, which explores the friendships, mentorship and support systems that help shape personal and professional success.
"ESSENCE Festival of Culture has always been more than a cultural moment—it is a powerful platform for connection, community and impact. For 31 years, Coca-Cola has been proud to stand alongside ESSENCE in celebrating the voices, stories and experiences that shape culture while investing in the communities that help move it forward. This year, we're excited to bring together music, meaningful conversations and immersive experiences that create opportunities for people to connect, be inspired and shine together throughout the festival weekend," — Stephanie Eaddy, Sr. Director, Cultural Marketing, The Coca-Cola Company.
Together, these experiences come to life through Coca-Cola's 2026 ESSENCE Festival of Culture platform, "Every Side Shines," which celebrates the diverse stories, perspectives and contributions that strengthen communities and move culture forward.
As Coca-Cola returns to New Orleans for another year, the company remains committed to creating experiences that foster authentic connection, elevate culture and invest in the communities shaping the future.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our water, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, BODYARMOR, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Fuze Tea, Gold Peak and Ayataka. Our juice, value-added dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and Santa Clara. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
About Sundial Media & Technology Group
Sundial Media & Technology Group (SMTG) is a human connections company redefining the future of media. With more than 100 years of storytelling expertise and audience insight, SMTG is transforming the traditional media model into a technology-enabled ecosystem designed to foster belonging, drive influence, and scale economic opportunity. Its portfolio includes some of the most iconic purpose-driven brands and experiences in culture today, including ESSENCE (Girls United, ESSENCE Studios, ESSENCE Festival of Culture®), Refinery29, AFROPUNK, and Beautycon™. Through strategic storytelling, data-powered platforms, and products built for cultural impact, SMTG is where connection becomes currency.
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