Essence Fest ticket sales are down…even vendors are starting to opt out

[Ol’Otis]

Recession indicator

 

[CopiousX]

Yakub's revenge. Thread title sounds like a @Busted_Toes thread opener

 

[Macallik86]

Been 2x. Ran out of money and can't go this year but my homie out there. The ratio is godly if you are a +35 breh

 

[CodeBlaMeVi]

It’s target audience is older now.

 

[Piff Perkins]

It’s target audience is older now.

But that's a good thing. Older black people have more money and time for stuff like this. But when times are stressful financially, people start pulling back on spending or they prioritize different spending. If you're suddenly in a position where you can only do one trip this year instead of multiple, are you doing Essence Fest or are you doing something more elaborate?

Vegas spending is down too.

 

[Kooley_High]

But that's a good thing. Older black people have more money and time for stuff like this. But when times are stressful financially, people start pulling back on spending or they prioritize different spending. If you're suddenly in a position where you can only do one trip this year instead of multiple, are you doing Essence Fest or are you doing something more elaborate?

Vegas spending is down too.

Nail on the head. Especially for black folk

 

[Tribal Outkast]

It’s target audience is older now.

Older people are the ones who grew up on Essence.

I think the acts that are becoming the older acts now aren’t respected as much which leads to people not wanting to see them. You’re going to be hard pressed to get to many acts to headline Essence when they are doing other festivals or their own concerts

 

[1LurkerChick9]

Recession indicator

 

[Buckeye Fever]

Essence Fest tickets

vs

Stocking deep freezer & cabinets

 

[2 Up 2 Down]

But that's a good thing. Older black people have more money and time for stuff like this. But when times are stressful financially, people start pulling back on spending or they prioritize different spending. If you're suddenly in a position where you can only do one trip this year instead of multiple, are you doing Essence Fest or are you doing something more elaborate?

Vegas spending is down too.

I tell people that politics plays a part of everything whether you follow it or not.

 

[CodeBlaMeVi]

But that's a good thing. Older black people have more money and time for stuff like this. But when times are stressful financially, people start pulling back on spending or they prioritize different spending. If you're suddenly in a position where you can only do one trip this year instead of multiple, are you doing Essence Fest or are you doing something more elaborate?

Vegas spending is down too.

What I mean is their target audience getting too old to travel for that with all the walking and stuff now. They are trying to get acts to getting younger folks, the millennials, to replace them. However, for the most part, black millennials aren’t a reliable base.

 

[CodeBlaMeVi]

Older people are the ones who grew up on Essence.

I think the acts that are becoming the older acts now aren’t respected as much which leads to people not wanting to see them. You’re going to be hard pressed to get to many acts to headline Essence when they are doing other festivals or their own concerts

Refer to my earlier comment.

 

[Diunx]

But that's a good thing. Older black people have more money and time for stuff like this. But when times are stressful financially, people start pulling back on spending or they prioritize different spending. If you're suddenly in a position where you can only do one trip this year instead of multiple, are you doing Essence Fest or are you doing something more elaborate?

Vegas spending is down too.

Older people just wanna chill at home.

 

[Piff Perkins]

Older people just wanna chill at home.

I disagree. Older people go out a lot. Older black people go to jazz shows every weekend in cities. They go to brunch, lunch, dinner, etc. They go on cruises. They go to jazz and r&b festivals in the summer.

More interesting argument you could make is that next crop of older black people might want to chill at home, and it will be a major cultural shift. Sure I expect older black women will always go to brunch, lunch, cruises etc. But will older black people still go to jazz shows? Are we finally about to get a crop of 50 year olds with zero interest in smooth jazz, Kem, etc? And if that's replaced with whatever is considered old school hip hop/r&b by then....will that be sustainable? The jazz and classic r&b shyt has been a dominant pass time for older black people for decades now. I'm really curious whether it's coming to an end. I hope not.

 

[Tribal Outkast]

I disagree. Older people go out a lot. Older black people go to jazz shows every weekend in cities. They go to brunch, lunch, dinner, etc. They go on cruises. They go to jazz and r&b festivals in the summer.

More interesting argument you could make is that next crop of older black people might want to chill at home, and it will be a major cultural shift. Sure I expect older black women will always go to brunch, lunch, cruises etc. But will older black people still go to jazz shows? Are we finally about to get a crop of 50 year olds with zero interest in smooth jazz, Kem, etc? And if that's replaced with whatever is considered old school hip hop/r&b by then....will that be sustainable? The jazz and classic r&b shyt has been a dominant pass time for older black people for decades now. I'm really curious whether it's coming to an end. I hope not.

All this