HOUSTON (AP) _ The 2006 Essence Music Festival is moving to Houston as New Orleans continues to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina.The annual festival, sponsored by Essence magazine, has been held in the Superdome in New Orleans since 1995. Officials said the move is a temporary one.
The event is scheduled for July 1-3 at Reliant Park.
The festival will feature several concerts, a marketplace and empowerment seminars. A portion of the event will be aimed at helping victims of Katrina.
Participating artists will be announced in the upcoming weeks and tickets will go on sale Dec. 1.
Almost 500 artists have performed at the event since its inception and it pumps millions of dollars into Louisiana’s economy.