June 3, 2026
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2026 ESSENCE Festival of Culture® Presented by Coca-Cola® Reveals Night-by-Night Lineup Featuring Babyface, Leon Thomas, Public Enemy and George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic with Friends
The ESSENCE Festival of Culture® presented by Coca-Cola® returns to New Orleans July 3–5, 2026, unveiling its night-by-night Evening Concert Series lineup with newly announced performances from Babyface and Leon Thomas, joining a cross-generational mix of artists across hip-hop, R&B, soul, and funk at the Caesars Superdome. The announcement builds on previously revealed performers including Cardi B, Latto, Kehlani, Patti LaBelle, Brandy and Monica, Public Enemy, and George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic, who will celebrate 50 years of the Mothership landing in New Orleans with a collaborative performance featuring Big Boi, Scarface, Big Freedia, Nona Hendryx, and Durand Bernarr, with additional special moments to be revealed in the coming weeks.