Essence Festival Durban 2016

ESSENCE Festival®! Our big event, long a summer tradition in New Orleans, will be expanding to the international stage with the first-ever ESSENCE Festival® in Durban, South Africa Nov. 8-13.

ESSENCE Durban®, the sister festival to our Fourth of July weekend extravaganza in NOLA, will showcase international perfomers, world-famous speakers, and local artists and experts. It will also pump up small businesses through empowerment seminars, career-guidance workshops and other programming.

"New Orleans and Durban are sister cities, and we are thrilled to present these sister festivals—both in 2016," said ESSENCE® President Michelle Ebanks. "As ESSENCE converges on Durban during South Africa's beautiful summer season, we are creating a week-long experience that will inspire women globally and convene our communities across the diaspora.