New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, now in its 55th year, takes place from April 24 to May 4
It’s party time down in the Big Easy!
The annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, a celebration of the city’s music, art and culture, is kicking off later this month, and this year’s lineup promises a star-studded mix of music’s biggest names (Kacey Musgraves! Pearl Jam! John Fogerty!), plus a number of famous faces with New Orleans roots, like Harry Connick, Jr., Lil Wayne, Trombone Shorty and Big Freedia.
From April 24 to May 4, the Fair Grounds Race Course will come alive with the colorful sights and sounds of Jazz Fest as 500,000 fans descend upon the bayou to enjoy good music, good food and offerings from local artisans.
Here’s a guide to making the most out of Jazz Fest.
When is Jazz Fest — and what is it?
The festival, now in its 55th year, takes place over two weekends from April 24 to May 4, and over the years has welcomed everyone from Aretha Franklin and Miles Davis to Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Bruce Springsteen.
Its origin story begins with gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, who, upon returning to town to sing at the very first New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, ended up joining the Eureka Brass Band with Duke Ellington and hopping into a parade.
“This spontaneous, momentous scene — this meeting of jazz and heritage — has stood for decades as a stirring symbol of the authenticity of the celebration that was destined to become a cultural force,” the festival’s website says.
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Who is performing?
This year’s festival headliners include Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, Luke Combs, Lil Wayne & the Roots, Lenny Kravitz, Kacey Musgraves, Santana, John Fogerty, Harry Connick, Jr., Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Cheap Trick and more.
Dozens of other artists will take the stage, too, and many have New Orleans roots, including Connick, Lil Wayne, Big Freedia, Trombone Shorty, Irma Thomas, The Revivalists, Tank and the Bangas, Branford Marsalis, Ledisi and PJ Morton.
“It is great to be in New Orleans during this particular time with the Super Bowl, Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest right after that,” Trombone Shorty, who made his Jazz Fest debut at age 4 with Bo Diddley, told PEOPLE in February. “I’ll get to see a lot of people play a lot of music and just be here, so it doesn’t get any better than that for me.”
The biggest names will perform at the Festival Stage, while other stages will welcome other genres; local Mardi Gras Indians and brass bands perform on the Jazz & Heritage Stage, while the Congo Square Stage features Afrocentric and world music. There’s also the Jazz, Blues and Gospel Tents, plus Expedia’s Cultural Exchange Pavilion, which this year will highlight the music and culture of Mexico.
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What else is happening on the festival grounds?
Food! And plenty of it. Jazz Fest will host 65 vendors that represent the vast culinary range of New Orleans, a city known for savory (and sweet) treats like crawfish, beignets, gumbo and jambalaya.
This year will even welcome the festival’s first-ever vegan booth, according to Nola.com.
Jazz Fest also pays tribute to Louisiana with arts and crafts booths, including the Congo Square African Marketplace, the Contemporary Crafts showcase, featuring handcrafted clothing, leather goods, paintings and more, and the Louisiana Marketplace, which offers photographs, furniture, jewelry and more inspired by the state.
How do I get there?
The Jazz Fest Express Shuttle helps festivalgoers with round-trip transportation between three departure points and the Fair Grounds, and tickets are available at various price points here.
Expedia, the festival’s official travel partner, has also launched a Jazz Fest ticket and travel package, through which those who want to attend can bundle a flight, hotel and tickets to Jazz Fest for additional savings of up to $425. Featured hotels include a curated list in neighborhoods like the French Quarter, Uptown, the Warehouse Arts District and the Business District. The bundle offer is available through April 15 for first-weekend attendees and April 20 for second-weekend attendees.
