At ESSENCE Festival of Culture, the big stages always get plenty of attention, but Coca-Cola made sure its own footprint felt like a full experience of its own. Source: During the 2026 festival weekend in New Orleans, Coca-Cola’s Shine City became a daytime hub for music, celebrity moments, community connection, HBCU pride and entrepreneurship — all under the brand’s “Every Side Shines” platform. A press release reports that the activation took over space inside the New Orleans Ernest N.