The Essence Festival of Culture is firming up the details of its music lineup for when the event returns to New Orleans Friday, July 3, through Sunday, July 5. The annual celebration of Black women and Black culture on Thursday announced the nightly lineups for its major concerts happening in the Caesars Superdome.
Essence Fest kicks of July 3 with Cardi B, Kehlani, Latto and SZN4 along with another performer to be announced on May 12.
Brandy & Monica then headline July 4 with Patti LaBelle, Leon Thomas and Josh Levi. There also will be another act reveal on May 14 centered on the “anniversary of one of R&B’s most iconic albums.”
And George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic with special guests Big Boi, Big Freedia, Nona Hendryx and more top the July 5 lineup, which also features Babyface, Public Enemy and Doug E. Fresh. The “final Mothership manifest” will be revealed on May 19, the festival says.
Along with the nightly Superdome concerts, Essence Fest takes over the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center during the day for vendor expos, speakers, interviews, workshops and more. This year, the festival announced curators for parts of the event. Musician and actor Teyana Taylor is the festival’s chief curator and is joined by chef Nina Compton as the Essence Food & Wine Festival curator, authora Mara Brock Akil and Nikole Hannah-Jones as the Book Festival at Essence Authors fiction and non-fiction curators, respectively.
Three-day concert tickets are now on sale starting at $230.40 via ticketmaster.com. A find more information at essence.com/essencefestival2026.
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