The Essence Music Festival, known as "the party with a purpose", is an annual music festival which started in 1994 as a one-time event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Essence, a magazine aimed primarily towards African-American women. It is the largest event celebrating African-American culture and music in the United States. Locally referred to as the Essence Fest, it has been held in New Orleans, Louisiana every year since 1994 except for 2006, when it was held in Houston, TX due to Hurricane Katrina. It features artists simultaneously performing on a main stage as well as four standing-room only superlounge stages. BUT NOW... **Below info obtain from Essence. com's website** Who runs the world? 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 performers, world-famous speakers, and local artists and experts. It will also pump up small businesses through empowerment seminars, career-guidance workshops and other programming. ESSENCE Festival Expands to Durban, South Africa! "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." ESSENCE Festival Durban Launching November 2016 EThekwini Mayor Nxumalo says the City of Durban is ready for its global close-up, continuing on its international surge. "This partnership will have a host of benefits for residents, starting with the Durban Business Fair program, which strives to connect local businesses globally," he says. "We have no doubt that the Festival jobs will be created and our cultural economy enhanced." So mark your calendars now and check back at Essence. com for more updates. http://www.essence.com/2016/04/27/essence-festival-durban-south-africa-dates?iid=sr-link2