Time Inc.’s 2016 Essence Festival Durban Reveals First-Round Lineup

Featuring Steve Harvey, Rev. Al Sharpton, Yolanda Adams, Shaun T.,
Black Coffee and Many More

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Organizers of Time Inc.’s (NYSE:TIME) Essence Festival Durban today
announced the first-round lineup of participants for the inaugural
event, taking place November 8–13, 2016, at the International Convention
Center and the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, South Africa.


Renowned television host, actor, author, radio personality and
entrepreneur Steve Harvey is partnering with the first-ever
Essence Festival Durban to bring more attention and definition to trade
and business opportunities between the United States and Africa.
Distinguished civil rights activist, community leader and
television/radio host Rev. Al Sharpton; fitness expert and
motivational speaker Shaun T.; television personality and
entertainment attorney Phaedra Parks; and accomplished
singer/songwriters Estelle and Kelly Price are among the
confirmed speakers for the festival’s daytime Empowerment Experience. In
addition, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Yolanda Adams
will be honored during the event’s All-Star Gospel Tribute and will give
a special closing weekend performance. Additional appearances are to be
announced soon.

“This is a milestone year for the Essence brand as we get ready to bring
one of our most beloved events to the heart of South Africa in the
coastal city of Durban, which represents an exciting mix of cultures,”
said Essence President Michelle Ebanks. “This inaugural Essence Festival
Durban will bring together voices of influence and power from the
continent of Africa, the United States and around the globe to connect
communities and empower women spanning the diaspora.”

As the sister event to the annual Essence Festival New Orleans, the
Essence Festival Durban will feature not only global performers and
speakers to entertain and inspire but also a host of local experts and
performing artists, including famed South African record producer/DJ Black
Coffee
; South African actress, dancer and singer Nondumiso Tembe;
Wololo hitmaker Babes Wodumo; Durban-based kwaito group
Big Nuz
; Fuse Academy co-founder DJ Zinhle; Afro-jazz
musician Thandiswa Mazwai; and many more to be announced
soon.

Her Worship The Mayor of Durban, Cllr, Zandile Gumede said, “We are
excited as the City of Durban to be hosting an event of this magnitude.
The festival will provide an invaluable platform for businesses and
artists to network and build relationships with international experts
for locals to be globally competitive. Durban is well positioned as an
events destination for global niche tourism and we seek to take
advantage of this positioning to create a platform for growth, socio-
economic development, and empowerment of our emerging businesses.
Through this partnership with Essence, we want to showcase our cultural
diversity, arts and heritage as well as business acumen to South Africa
and the rest of the world. Our vision is that Durban should be ‘Africa’s
most caring and liveable city by 2030’, and Essence Festival Durban will
help towards creating a diverse cultural economy.”

Free and open to the public, the Empowerment Experience at the Essence
Festival Durban will also offer a range of enrichment programming,
including:

  • Money + Power Showcase, providing unique opportunities for
    businesses to network and to meet potential buyers from both local and
    international markets.
  • Beauty and Style Expo, featuring designers from across the
    African continent showcasing and selling their products.
  • Lifestyle & Wellness Experience, featuring fitness workouts
    from celebrity fitness experts and healthy living tips.
  • Essence Eats, showcasing celebrity chefs preparing their
    specialty dishes and cuisine from Durban Sister Cities.

For more information, visit Essence.com.

ABOUT ESSENCE COMMUNICATIONS INC.

Essence Communications Inc. (ECI) is the number one media company
dedicated to African-American women, with a multi-platform presence in
publishing, live events and online. The company’s flagship publication,
Essence magazine, is the preeminent lifestyle magazine for
African-American women, generating brand extensions, such as the Essence
Festival, Essence Black Women in Hollywood and Black Women in Music, the
Window on Our Women and Smart Beauty consumer insights series,
Essence.com and ventures in digital media (mobile, television and VOD).
For 46 years, Essence, which has a brand reach of 14.2 million, has been
the leading source of cutting-edge information and specific solutions
relating to every area of African-American women’s lives. Additional
information about ECI and Essence is available at www.essence.com.

ABOUT TIME INC.

Time Inc. (NYSE:TIME) is one of the world’s leading media companies,
with a monthly global print audience of over 120 million and worldwide
digital properties that attract more than 150 million visitors each
month, including over 60 websites. Our influential brands include
People, Sports Illustrated, InStyle, Time, Real Simple and Southern
Living, as well as more than 50 diverse titles in the United Kingdom.

Contacts

Essence
Dana Baxter, 212-522-1634
dana_baxter@timeinc.com
or
Essence
Sheila
Harris, 212-522-1089
sheila.harris@timeinc.com

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