My first visit to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (a.k.a. "Jazzfest") was sort of a happy accident. In 1988, I was a young 20-something Grateful Dead tourhead, and I heard rumors that Little Feat was going to play their first show since the death of Lowell George a decade earlier. The allure was heightened by the fact that the reformed band would play on a riverboat floating on the Mississippi in New Orleans.

The first week of the New Orleans Jazz Festival wrapped up on Sunday, and it was a spectacular day! Initially, there were concerns about rain, but the weather turned out perfect with clear skies and a refreshing breeze. The crowds were smaller than Saturday's, making it easier to navigate the festival grounds and access food quickly.

Adding an extra day and bringing the Rolling Stones to the event for the first time, the 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell was attended by 500,000 fans, Jazz Fest organizers announced today. During the expanded 8-day format, the Festival played out almost entirely under sunny skies as it shined a light on the importance of New Orleans to American and world culture.

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell, the annual celebration of the unique culture and heritage of New Orleans and Louisiana, has just unveiled its very special lineup for the 2024 Festival.

The Rolling Stones are coming to Jazz Fest! The Rolling Stones are coming to Jazz Fest! The Rolling Stones are coming to Jazz Fest!

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell announced the addition of an extra day to the 2024 Festival as the event will now begin on Thursday, April 25, creating two equal four-day weekends:

Thursday, April 25 – Sunday, April 28

&

Thursday, May 2 – Sunday, May 5

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival stands as a radiant beacon of America's diverse musical scene. This multifaceted gathering represents an immersive journey across the musical map of America and beyond. Describing its innumerable treasures can prove daunting, as there is a veritable banquet of sound that is impossible to fully consume, let alone encapsulate in a single piece. But in attempting to relay the highlights of the 2023 festival's first weekend, one must reconcile with the abundance of excellence presented.

The 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell drew 460,000 festivalgoers to this year’s event, Jazz Fest organizers announced today, as the Festival once again transformed the Fair Grounds Race Course and the entire city into a cultural destination for music lovers from all over the world.

Dead & Company kicked off their Final Tour Saturday with a headlining single set at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Lightning and torrential rains delayed the festivities, with gates opening over an hour past the 11:00 am schedule, causing some of the earlier slated bands to be scrapped. The rain held off for most of Dead & Co’s electric-only set. The sun even managed to make a late-set appearance.

Are you already missing Jazzfest? Did you miss Jazzfest and you need your fix of funky fun New Orleans Music? We have the show for you, with the triumphant return of Professor Jones & The Rendezvoodoo with Meters Made: A Meters Tribute.

A NIGHT IN NEW ORLEANS at Toot’s Tavern in charming Crockett on the Carquinez! Missin’ Jazzfest? Enjoy a Friday night of funky fun New Orleans Music at Toot’s featuring the triumphant return of Professor Jones & The RendezVooDoo and Meter Made: A Meters Tribute. 8:30 - late, 21+