Festival season is near — grab your sun hats, for the sun will be shining and music will be blasting. Here is what to expect at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival this year.
According to the festival’s website, in 1970, gospel singer Mahalia Jackson returned to her hometown of New Orleans to perform at Jazz Fest. While attending the Heritage Fair, she and Duke Ellington, a jazz musician, saw the Eureka Brass Band leading a second line. She joined the band and sang along. The true spirit of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival had come alive.
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival website states, “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 takes place over two weekends at the Fair Ground Race Course & Slots. The first weekend runs from Thursday, April 23 to Sunday, April 26. The next weekend runs from Thursday, April 30 to Sunday, May 3.
You can buy your tickets by the day starting at $109. There is also an option to buy a weekend pass starting at $429.
With logistics out of the way, here is what festival-goers can expect at this year’s Jazz Fest.
There are a lot of exciting artists playing this year. For the first weekend, Kings of Leon, Jon Batiste, Lorde, Stevie Nicks, Tyler Childers, and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit are all playing.
Widespread Panic, Lainey Wilson, Eagles and Earth Wind & Fire are playing the second weekend.
Not only does Jazz Fest showcase New Orleans heritage, but it also celebrates a new country each year. This year, the festival is showcasing Jamaica with its tribute CELEBRATING JAMAICA.
This will include a Jamaican celebration under the Sandals Resorts Jamaica Cultural Exchange Pavilion. There will also be many Jamaican artists selling their crafts inside the Cultural Exchange Artist Demonstration Tent. Many of these artists are from communities that were impacted by Hurricane Melissa in 2025.
Oxtail with rice, peas, jerk mushrooms and fish will be served at the Cultural Exchange Booth.
Jazz Fest may be known for its music and art, but it is also known for its food. The iconic items like meat pies, mango freezes, cochon de lait po’boys, Crawfish Monica and Cuban sandwiches are available on the grounds.
At the Fais Do-Do stage, a watermelon sacrifice takes place. This is a ritual that has been happening for years where a song is sung and a watermelon is thrown until it breaks into pieces. Afterward, the community is able to eat the watermelon.
The spirit of Jazz Fest can also be felt beyond the festival stage. Before and after the festival, many people in the community get together to celebrate. They will often relax on their porches listening to music, and small bands will sometimes play as well, covering artists who are performing at the festival.
What do you need to be prepared for the festival season? It is going to be very hot, so make sure to bring a hat and wear sunscreen. Also, do not forget to hydrate during the festival to avoid feeling sick or becoming dehydrated.
Grab your friends, head down to New Orleans and appreciate the community of people who love music and New Orleans’ culture.
