The Latest: Oprah Winfrey to appear at Essence Festival

Organizers Thursday announced that popular television host and actress Oprah Winfrey will make her first-ever appearance at the festival at 4 p.m. on Saturday at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

De Luca says Winfrey accepted an invitation to the event by Iyanla Vanzant, a motivational speaker and life coach who's scheduled to address fans at the festival's free empowerment experience also on Saturday.

[...] in continuing with its theme to "party with a purpose," organizers have prepared an empowerment experience inside the city's convention center that includes insight into current events and opportunities for entrepreneurs to get help in growing their businesses.