New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival announced the 2024 festival lineup on Thursday, Jan. 18. The lineup includes artists like The Rolling Stones, Hozier, The Foo Fighters, Earth, Wind and Fire and many more.
Along with the drop of the lineup came shocking prices to loyal Jazz Fest-goers. But, with the star-studded lineup, incredible food and all-around New Orleans experience, is the festival worth it this year?
Pros
Yummy Food:
Jazz Fest is best-known for serving some of New Orleans’ most classic recipes.
Previous vendors have brought in foods like Di Martino’s famous muffalettas, Big River Foods’ Crawfish Monica and Prejean’s Restaurant’s pheasant, quail and andouille gumbo. These iconic dishes can be bought all around the festival, giving a unique experience with each taste.
Talented Variety of Headliners:
Jazz Fest’s music acts are “on-brand” for the festival year after year, incorporating many different types of music while still sticking to their loyal performers. These artists include: The Foo Fighters, Dead & Company, and the late Jimmy Buffett, who will have a tribute set this year.
There’s something for everyone on the set.
If you’re a rock fan, you’ve got The Rolling Stones, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Greta Van Fleet and more. Want to slow it down? Head on over to Jon Batiste, Hozier or Queen Latifah. Maybe feeling a little country? Chris Stapleton has you covered.
Time of Year:
The festival falls during prime time for Louisiana weather: the beginning of summer. The sun is out. The breeze is blowing. Flowers are blooming. After these cold winter days (and even colder nights), Louisianans are sure to be grateful for days like this to come.
Cons
Time of Year:
Remember that part about the sun being out? Let’s think more about that.
Jazz Fest days are long days. No doubt they are full of fun, but the mix between dehydration, forgetting your sunscreen or portable fan and bodies stacked next to bodies to see Mick Jagger wiggle on stage can get dangerous.
Louisiana’s April–May cusp has historically sat in the high 70s to mid 80s, which does not seem bad until you factor in the beating sun on a clear day.
Shocking Prices:
Compared to previous Jazz Fest years, the price difference of weekend passes was unexpected. Previous years general admission weekend passes have increased steadily by only $20- $50 each year. Yet still, the total for a Weekend One GA pass for Jazz Fest in 2024 is $290.
The real kicker is the already sold-out Weekend Two. Tickets are $495 for general admission and $749 for advanced general admission.
Weekend Two’s prices were seemingly skyrocketed by the Rolling Stones, whose set similarly increased 2019 day passes by $100 per ticket. Jazz Fest dates have also been expanded this year for the British rockers, making an eight-day festival instead of the usual seven.
For reference, Weekend Two of Jazz Fest 2023 cost folks $290 compared to the now almost $500. Voodoo Music + Arts Experience, a now canceled New Orleans-based festival, was only $150 for a weekend pass.
So, is it worth it?
If you are satisfied with the lineup, good food and an all-around festive time, Jazz Fest is a bang for your buck.
