NEW ORLEANS- Essence Festival of Culture has officially been postponed due to the COVID-19 health crisis.

The New Orleans annual festival was scheduled for July 1-5, but Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced the postponement Friday evening.

"With the significant spread of COVID-19, we are taking every precaution in the best interest of our residents, visitors, and all who attend and make ESSENCE the worldwide phenomenon that it is. We look forward to welcoming everyone back — from near and far — and express our deepest gratitude to all who are helping our city, state and nation get through this rapidly evolving crisis."

Festival organizers have not released future dates of the event, but they have released a statement about rescheduling. 

"Based on developments over the past couple of weeks, including updates from our city and health partners, we are officially announcing that we will move the 2020 ESSENCE Festival of Culture closer to the fall. As we previously indicated, we were already moving forward with identifying and securing alternate dates and will be prepared to announce those shortly," the statement said.

Based on developments over the past couple of weeks, including updates from our city and health partners, we are officially announcing that we will move the 2020 ESSENCE Festival of Culture closer to the fall. Visit https://t.co/xhrTNEmoKN for the full statement. #EssenceFest pic.twitter.com/7WB1QBCh0y

— ESSENCE Festival (@essencefest) March 28, 2020

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