The Essence Festival of Culture said it has agreements in place to pay all contractors for work on last year’s festival, after New Orleans officials warned that failing to do so could jeopardize government incentives for the 2026 festival in July.
New York-based Sundial Media Group, which owns Essence, said in a statement Thursday it had “addressed all financial issues” with its festival partners and was focused on planning this year’s event, scheduled for July 3 to 5.
The announcement comes as Essence prepares to ask the Louisiana Legislature for additional funding to support this year’s festival, and after City Council members a week earlier threatened to repeal a “clean zone” ordinance barring certain economic activities that could compete with the festival if Essence didn’t make good on its debts…