New Orleans Jazz Fest 2025 — Who’s Playing, When, Tickets & More

Ultimate New Orleans Jazz Fest Guide

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (Jazz Fest to locals) returns on Thursday, 24th April to Sunday, 4th May with its signature mix of music, food, and New Orleans culture. Here’s what you’ll want to know before hitting the Fair Grounds this 2025.

Started with Just 350 People

Jazz Fest is a 10-day cultural event started back in 1970 when George Wein, founder of the Newport Jazz Festival, partnered with the New Orleans Hotel Motel Association to showcase Louisiana music.

That first year? Just 350 people showed up. Now the festival pulls in around 400,000 fans annually. It survived Katrina, COVID, and everything in between – pretty much like New Orleans itself.

It moved to the Fair Grounds Race Course in 1972 where it’s been growing from a small gathering to a massive cultural celebration spanning multiple weekends ever since.

Multiple Performances

The 2025 lineup spans from NOLA jazz legends to chart-toppers across 14 stages. Expect around 600 performances throughout the festival run.

Local talent remains the backbone: brass bands, Mardi Gras Indians, and zydeco musicians share billing with national acts. Each day offers a different musical journey with performances running simultaneously across the grounds.

Most people focus on headliners (in the past they’ve had Stevie Nicks, The Who, and Dave Matthews Band) but ask any Jazz Fest veteran, those random discoveries (Rebirth Brass Band, Big Freedia, and Dr. John) at side stages often become festival highlights.

The mix of genres (jazz, blues, rock, R&B, gospel, zydeco, Cajun, and more) means nobody leaves disappointed.

The Cubes Help You Plan

Veterans know the drill. “The Cubes” is how you figure out who’s playing where. The color-coded schedule grid shows every performance by time and location in an easy-to-read format. Without it, you’d be lost.

They release The Cubes about three weeks before kickoff. Download the app to keep the schedule handy and get real-time updates about weather delays or cancellations. Users can also view bios and media for artists directly in the app.

Pro tip: get a backup charger for your phone. Sometimes the best Jazz Fest moments happen when you ditch your schedule entirely. Plan your must-sees but leave room for wandering.

The Jazz and Heritage Gala

The Gala kicks everything off on April 23 at the Generations Hall before the first weekend. It’s the main fundraiser for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation’s year-round programs in education (Don “Moose” Jamison Heritage School of Music), economic development, and cultural enrichment.

From 7 to 10 PM, you’ll witness a star-studded lineup: Mariachi Jalisco, Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen, and the Heritage School of Music All-Stars. Expect upscale food from top NOLA chefs and auctions of music memorabilia and art.

Gala tickets aren’t cheap (about $300 to $500 per person). Make sure you’re donning cocktail attire or evening wear.

Tickets Went On Sale in March

Tickets come as single-day passes ($89 to $105), weekend packages (between $160 to $300), or the full Brass Pass ($400 to $500) that covers the entire festival. They usually go on sale in March with early-bird prices that don’t stick around long.

Kids under 10 can get in for $5. Your ticket covers everything inside: all performances, food areas, craft markets, and cultural demonstrations. There are no separate areas requiring additional payment once inside.

Skip third-party sellers; the official site is the safest and usually the cheapest way to go.

VIP Packages That Let You Breathe

Want shade and private bathrooms? The “Big Chief VIP” package ($500 to $1,000) delivers covered viewing areas at the main stage, air conditioning, private restrooms, and dedicated food vendors.

Worth every penny during those hot afternoons. Groups of 10+ can grab discounts. Louisiana locals score deals on “Locals Thursday” on the first day. Military and seniors get price breaks with ID.

College students might snag last-minute rush tickets that pop up days before the festival starts. These deals go fast so don’t sleep on them.

Marketplace With Over 300 Artists

Over 300 artists and craftspeople set up shop at the Congo Square African Marketplace and Contemporary Crafts areas from 11 AM to 7 PM. This ain’t some cheesy souvenir market, we’re talking legit handmade jewelry, instruments, art, clothing, and visual art representing both traditional craftsmanship and innovative designs.

Many vendors demonstrate their techniques on-site. The annual Jazz Fest poster becomes an instant collector’s item with serious fans lining up early for limited editions (this year it’s James Michalopoulos).

Don’t miss the Louisiana Marketplace section where local artisans showcase traditional Cajun/Creole art, pottery, quilting, basket weaving, and other crafts you won’t find at the mall.

Spotlighting World Cultures

Every year Jazz Fest spotlights a different international culture in the Cultural Exchange Pavilion. For 2025, you’ll find special performances, exhibits, food, and history throughout the grounds connecting New Orleans’ heritage to global traditions.

The Native American Village hosts traditional Powwow dances, storytelling, and displays of artifacts, beadwork, and crafts. History buffs should hit the Grandstand exhibits on the city’s musical heritage featuring rare photos, instruments, and memorabilia.

Watch skilled locals demonstrate traditional crafts like boat building, duck decoy carving, and net making in the Folklife Village.

Need to lift your spirits? The Gospel Tent delivers soul-stirring performances (gospel legends like Mavis Staples and The Blind Boys of Alabama) that often become festival highlights.

Chefs Make Classic NOLA Dishes

NOLA cuisine takes center stage at the Food Heritage demonstrations in the Louisiana Marketplace area. Top local chefs like Ausettua Amor Amenkum from Soul Sisters Creole Vegan Cuisine will show you how to make classic dishes like gumbo, jambalaya, and étouffée while sharing kitchen secrets.

Many demos include samples for the audience. Between cooking sessions, food historians explain how African, French, Spanish, Caribbean, and Native American influences created Louisiana’s unique flavors.

Shows run 30-45 minutes and seating fills quickly on a first-come basis. Get there early for the popular demonstrations or risk standing in the back.

Main Stages Have Headliners

The Festival and Gentilly stages host headliners. Expect large crowds around 5 PM to 8 PM when many of the top acts perform so arrive early for decent spots. The tented venues (Blues, Jazz, and Gospel) offer blessed shade for 2000 to 4000 people but they fill up quickly. Fais Do-Do Stage packs ’em in for Cajun and zydeco dancing.

True New Orleans street culture lives at the Jazz & Heritage Stage with brass bands and Mardi Gras Indians. Smaller stages like Lagniappe offer intimate performances where you’re close enough to see every guitar string and might find yourself just feet away from legendary musicians.

Grab a site map on arrival, the Fair Grounds are bigger than they look with peak crowds typically occurring on second weekends.

Mid-City Puts You Closest

Mid-City puts you closest to the Fair Grounds. Vacation rentals (about $100 to $200) disappear months ahead so book early.

Marigny and Bywater offer great restaurants and bars plus decent streetcar access on the same Canal Street line that services the festival (typically takes 15–20 minutes). The French Quarter which is about 2 to 3 miles away, isn’t very close to the Jazz Fest but remains popular for nightlife and classic NOLA vibes.

Garden District’s historic homes and tree-lined streets run pricier ($200 to $400) but offer gorgeous surroundings and access to the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line.

Bargain hunters should look at Gentilly or Bayou St. John where locals can rent rooms for $80 to $200 during festival weeks and you might even walk to the gates.

The Music Continues After Hours

Jazz Fest wraps by early evening, leaving time to explore. “Jazz Fest After Dark” concerts feature festival performers at venues such as Tipitina’s and d.b.a. New Orleans.

Morning’s perfect for Garden District walking tours through historic mansions and Lafayette Cemetery No. 1. The National WWII Museum ranks among the country’s best if you want to learn about the D-Day landing.

Catch a Mississippi River steamboat cruise on the Natchez (11:30 AM, 2:30 PM, and 7 PM). Feeling hungry? Gorge on mandatory beignets and café au lait at Café du Monde in the French Quarter.

After dark, skip Bourbon Street and hit Frenchmen where locals go for jazz nights at The Spotted Cat Music Club.

The Festival Has No Public Parking

There’s zero public parking at the Fair Grounds, so plan accordingly.

Jazz Fest Express shuttles run from downtown (Superdome and Union Passenger Terminal) straight to the gates for a reasonable fee. Take the Canal Street streetcar or catch city buses that stop nearby.

Rideshares work but surge pricing hits hard at closing time. Locals may bike to avoid traffic and there’s free parking at the Gentilly entrance.

Some nearby residents rent driveways or yards for $20-40 depending on how close they are to the gates. Cash only, usually.