Baltimore pays thousands for Mayor Scott, staff to attend Essence Festival

Chevall Pryce, Baltimore Sun on Jul 3, 2026

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BALTIMORE — Baltimore taxpayers will spend $7,482.17 to send Mayor Brandon Scott and three city employees to New Orleans this weekend after the Baltimore Board of Estimates approved the travel on Wednesday.

Scott is scheduled to travel July 3-5 to the Essence Festival of Culture, the largest Black culture and music event in the U.S. He is scheduled to speak as part of the Resist. Build. Unite panel, which is meant to “discuss the future of movement building, legal advocacy, and the power of organizing in this moment,” according to the event description.

Last year, Scott attended the festival and participated in the Global Black Economic Forum panels, discussing Baltimore’s violence reduction efforts and gun violence.

The annual festival features live musical performances from R&B artists like Kehlani, Brandy and Monica and rapper Latto. Other activities include a wrestling match, shopping and panels like the one Scott will participate in.

Breaking down the financials

The city will cover his airfare, lodging, meals, parking and other expenses totaling $1,842.46, according to board documents.

Three additional city employees will travel with or ahead of the mayor, bringing the total cost to taxpayers to $7,482.17.

“As Essence Fest is a global convening of national leaders with significant media presence, staff are attending alongside Mayor Scott to provide staffing support and assistance throughout the conference,” a spokesperson from the mayor’s office said.

Mayor’s Office of Arts, Culture and Entertainment (MOACE) Director Linzy Jackson and Mayor’s Office Director of Communications Tracy King are each approved for $1,612.46 in travel costs.

Jackson will be “cultivating and maintaining partnerships with current and prospective sponsors,” according to the approval request. The document said that work has led to three “major partnerships” for Baltimore in the past. The Baltimore Sun was not able to confirm what partnerships that included by press time.

King will accompany Scott and provide staffing support during the trip, according to the approval request.

A third staffer, MOACE Creative Brand Strategist Ashton Phinney, will arrive a day earlier, at a cost of $2,414.79 for the city. Phinney will evaluate festival activations, meet with sponsors and identify potential partnerships for Baltimore cultural events, according to the board summary.

Airfare and hotel reservations were initially charged to a city-issued travel card before reimbursement through the city’s approval process.

The latest trip for the mayor

The Essence Festival trip is the latest in a series of official out-of-town appearances for Scott in 2026.

In April, Scott attended Bloomberg CityLab in Madrid, a global gathering of mayors and policy leaders focused on housing, public safety and economic development. The Aspen Institute funded the $5,969.13 trip, according to city records.

The mayor’s office has said those meetings provided an opportunity to exchange ideas with global peers, particularly on housing affordability.

Scott also attended the U.S. Conference of Mayors winter meeting in Washington earlier this year, joining municipal leaders in discussions on federal policy priorities affecting cities.