This year at the 2012 ESSENCE Music Festival we held the 2nd annual Eye Candy Pageant at the ESSENCE.com Live Stage in the New Orleans Convention Center. As expected, the ladies lined up to watch the carefully selected contestants strut their stuff in a battle to win the Mr. Eye Candy 2012 title. TV personality Free hosted with a little help from ESSENCE.com Relationships Editor Charli Penn. Each contestant got a chance to introduce themselves to the crowd then strut their stuff on the runway for all to see. The ladies in the audience were instructed to make some noise if they loved what they saw, and finalists were narrowed down based on the crowd’s support. Okay, okay, enough small talk. We know what you really want to see — the pictures! Feast your eyes on the yummiest moments from this year’s pageant. Enjoy, ladies!
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Gorgeous contestants strutted their stuff on the runway in the 2012 ESSENCE Eye Candy Pageant and battled it out for the winning title of Mr. Eye Candy 2012.
Free crowned our winner. Despite the love the crowd showed him, it seemed he couldn’t take his eyes off the lovely hostess with the mostess.
Ladies, say hello to Mr. Eye Candy 2012 (on the left) and the first and second runners up. They’re all winners in our book!
Our winner possesses one seriously sexy set of abs — which he proudly greased up for the ladies before hitting the stage. It was a winning move. Smart move!
Have another look at our winner, ladies. What we have here is head-to-toe perfection.
My, my, my!
Our first runner up wooed the crowd with his long sexy locks and stacked body. We recruited this cutie working in the Wal-Mart sponsor booth at the festival, and he tells us modeling is a hobby.
This fine chocolate brother came in third place.
