Essence Festival Responds to Target Backlash: “We Get It. We’re In a Contract.”

Essence Festival is facing heat after fans called out Target’s visible sponsorship during the weekend’s events, despite the national boycott still in full effect.

The conversation started in the comments under a festival Instagram post. One user wrote, “Now that that’s settled… let’s talk about Target.” Whoever was running the page didn’t dodge it. They replied, “Let’s discuss, for sure. We are on a multi-year sponsorship with Target. So we fully understand how it looks. Just wanting to speak to the contractual agreement.”

That one reply set the tone. Essence made it clear that their hands are tied. The festival is legally bound to a long-term agreement with the retail giant, and pulling out midseason could come with heavy consequences.

Target has been a financial backbone for the festival for years, funding everything from performance stages to pop-up lounges and community events. Without that support, it’s unlikely the festival would be able to deliver the same scale or secure major names.

Still, the backlash has been loud. Many attendees say Target’s involvement feels out of step with the spirit of Essence, especially while the brand is under scrutiny. Some argue that its presence sends a mixed message about the festival’s values.

Essence’s team seems to be walking a fine line. They’re trying to keep the festival running while being transparent about how sponsorship deals work behind the scenes.