Here is the news from the Essence website:
After continued monitoring of the evolving developments in the COVID-19 global pandemic and in collaboration with our partners in the City of New Orleans and State of Louisiana, ESSENCE will no longer move forward with the 2020 ESSENCE Festival of Culture live experience. We look forward to returning to New Orleans in 2021. Refunds are available for tickets sold to the 2020 Festival.
We are excited to now announce an ‘ESSENCE Benefit Series to Fight COVID-19’ will raise money and provide support for businesses and organizations in Black communities across the country. We will host the first-ever ESSENCE Festival of Culture: The Virtual Edition taking place over July 4th weekend as a multi-day experience and benefit celebration linked to this effort.
The virtual Festival will be a benefit celebration in honor and support of the City of New Orleans, which has been an incredible partner over the Festival’s 26 years and continues to be especially hard hit during this crisis.
Stay tuned for more updates by subscribing to our ESSENCE Festival of Culture newsletter and following @essencefest via social media.