New Orleans is known for its hot and humid summers, Mardi Gras and, above all, its incredible music scene.
The New Orleans Jazz Festival is fast approaching and will likely be one of the best Spring music and cultural festivals of the year.
After being cancelled twice due to Covid, the festival will return on select days from April 29 to May 8 and feature a plethora of musical acts.
Seriously, there are too many musicians playing this festival to list them here.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers will take the Festival Stage on May 1 while The Avett Brothers will play nearby on a different stage.
May 6 will see The Black Crowes, Busta Rhymes and Elvis Costello & The Imposters play the evening slots, while Stevie Nicks and Erykah Badu will do the same on May 7.
The Who, Nelly, Death Cab for Cutie, The Revivalists, Ludacris, Billy Strings and so many more will take the stage over the course of the festival.
The list goes on and on — these are only the big names — hundreds of artists will be playing on the festival’s 13 stages.
What else is on? As if the music wasn’t enough, there are several cultural, culinary and heritage events to look for at Nola’s yearly celebration of culture.
Check out the Congo Square African Marketplace, where festival-goers can find an array of local, national and international artisans exhibiting ancient crafting techniques. The idea is to create an authentic marketplace feel with ideas and customs exchanged as well as wares.
Contemporary Crafts has anything from leather goods to musical instruments as well as paintings, photos and jewellery while the Louisiana Marketplace has the state’s best traditional and contemporary artisanship on display.
With so much going on, you may forget to eat — that would be a mistake at this festival. There are dozens of restaurants serving a variety of foods across the festival.
There are too many to list but New Orleans’ cuisine is on offer—think Po Boys, oysters, crawfish and gumbo among other delectable dishes.
Don’t worry if that’s not your thing, there are stalls serving Greek to Mexican, Vietnamese to the Caribbean — one would be hard-pressed not to find something for their palate.
The festival will take place at the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, in the heart of downtown New Orleans. Hotels are booking up fast but some worth checking out are the Sheraton on Canal Street in downtown Nola or the JW Marriot on the same road.
The Four Seasons New Orleans is also worth a mention. Finally, the festival website has a list of hotels offering competitive prices for those attending the festival.
Tickets for the festival are currently at $225 for the first weekend and $275 for the second, which includes Thursday. Single-day tickets can be bought at the gate for $90 per diem.
Set in the heart of New Orleans, with some of the best music, food and cultural events around, this festival is sure to draw thousands from around the world. If you want an authentic music festival, rooted in deep culture, this is it.