It's Here! Here's the First Round of Performers for Essence Fest
- On Monday , ESSENCE Festival of Culture unveiled its first wave of Evening Concert performers at Caesars Superdome, led entirely by women including Cardi B, Patti LaBelle, Kehlani, Latto and Brandy and Monica.
- Framing the announcement, organizers said it honored Women’s History Month and followed International Women’s Day, with Coca-Cola presenting the ESSENCE Festival of Culture lineup.
- Among specifics, organizers highlighted Cardi B and Latto making their ESSENCE debuts while Kehlani, Brandy and Monica perform; Patti LaBelle returns fresh off her Queens Tour, which wraps May 31.
- Organizers say agreements are in place to pay all contractors from last year, applications for founders to participate at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center are open, and the E360 app offers festivalgoers exclusive planning tools.
- More announcements will follow, with organizers saying ESSENCE Festival of Culture runs July 3 through July 5 and tickets, including three-day packages, are on sale via Ticketmaster and ESSENCE channels.
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21 Articles
Essence Fest 2026: Stacked Lineup Announced Despite Debt Woes
Source: Paras Griffin / Getty The Essence Festival of Culture returns to New Orleans from July 3-5, 2026, bringing an electrifying celebration of Black excellence to the Caesars Superdome. As first reported by Rolling Out, this year’s festival places women squarely at the center of the stage, empowering voices that shape our cultural landscape. However, as fans prepare to join our community for this iconic weekend, organizers must also navigate …
ESSENCE is putting women front and center with 2026 festival lineup
In a fitting tribute to Women's History Month, the ESSENCE Festival of Culture presented by Coca-Cola has announced its first wave of performers for the 2026 Evening Concert Series — and the women are unquestionably leading the charge.
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