NEW ORLEANS — The 2026 ESSENCE Festival of Culture, presented by Coca-Cola, will return to the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans with an expanded Evening Concert Series lineup. Newly announced performers include Babyface and Leon Thomas, joining previously announced acts such as Cardi B, Latto, Kehlani, Patti LaBelle, Brandy, Monica, Public Enemy, and George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic.

Cardi B will headline the festival in New Orleans for the first time, making her ESSENCE Festival debut following her Little Miss Drama Tour. Latto will perform before the release of her upcoming album Big Mama, scheduled for May 29, 2026. Kehlani will perform on opening night following the release of her self-titled project.

R&B group SZN4, which gained attention after appearing on Netflix's Building the Band, will perform on Friday night alongside other acts on the opening-night bill.

Saturday night's bill features Patti LaBelle along with a reunion performance by Brandy and Monica, whose collaboration The Boy Is Mine spent 13 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Josh Levi and Leon Thomas are also scheduled to perform Saturday night.

Sunday night will feature Babyface and Public Enemy, whose catalog includes Fear of a Black Planet and the song Fight the Power. George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic will perform in New Orleans for the first time in 50 years, celebrating five decades of the Mothership landing in the city. Their set will include appearances by Big Boi, Scarface, Big Freedia, Nona Hendryx, and Durand Bernarr. Doug E. Fresh will appear during closing-night festivities.

The ESSENCE Festival of Culture has been held for more than three decades in New Orleans. In addition to the evening concerts at the Caesars Superdome, the festival offers daytime experiences at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, including conversations, live experiences, wellness programming, beauty activations, and business-focused events.