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The first wave of ESSENCE Fest performers has been revealed, and it's a celebration of the women who make Hip-Hop & R&B great.
On Monday, March 9, Essence announced the leading ladies who will perform at the 2026 ESSENCE Festival of Culture this summer. Cardi B, Latto, Brandy, and Monica will make their debut at the historic festival, while other acts like Kehlani and Patti LaBelle will also perform. They won't be the only acts to perform at the annual evening concert series. More acts will be announced in the coming weeks.
The festival is set to go down Independence Day weekend, July 3 - July 5, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. In addition to the evening show, fans can enjoy all the daytime events, including the ESSENCE Food & Wine Festival, ESSENCE Film Festival, ESSENCE Authors, and Beautycon. Tickets are on sale now. Fans can buy three-day ticket packages on Ticketmaster, but those fans using the E360 app will get more special offers and instant updates about all the festivities.
Last year, ESSENCE Fest's Evening Concert Series featured performances by GloRilla, Summer Walker, Muni Long, Maxwell, Boyz II Men, Nas, Master P, The Isley Brothers, Donell Jones, and more. In 2024, the Cash Money Millionaires took over ESSENCE Fest in honor of the record label's 30th anniversary. Birdman, Juvenile, Mannie Fresh, and B.G. hit the stage to deliver their classics, followed by Lil Wayne, who served up his own set.