New Orleans is known as the birthplace of jazz. There is no better way to feel the history of New Orleans than to enjoy the experience of Jazz music playing live. A great way to experience incredible jazz artists in the “Big Easy” is at a
New Orleans Jazz Festival.
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, better known
as Jazz Fest New Orleans, is the granddaddy of all the
jazz festivals New Orleans offers. Started in April
of 1970, it was originally formed to preserve the music
of Old New Orleans jazz, as rock and pop music threatened
to make this music a lost art form. It began with
only 350 visitors and today hosts hundreds of thousands
of people from all over the world. The New Orleans
Jazz and Heritage Festival now stretches over 10 days,
combines multiple stages of live performances with crafts
booths and Louisiana food booths. New Orleans Jazz
Fest is a fantastic place for all ages to enjoy the culture
of Louisiana and its legacy of music.
This New Orleans Jazz Festival has traditionally featured
a wide variety of renowned artists like Miles Davis, Ella
Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughan, Paul Simon,
B.B. King, Dave Matthews Band, and many others. Jazz
Fest New Orleans prides itself on celebrating Louisiana
culture by combining the fervor of a gospel hymn with
the joy of a jazz parade. So in addition to contemporary
and classical jazz, you can also find at Jazz fest New
Orleans blues, R&B, gospel, Cajun, Zydeco, Afro-Caribbean,
folk, Latin, rock, rap, country, bluegrass and everything
in between.
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival takes place
in April and May and is located at the Fair Grounds Race
Course, minutes from the French Quarter. Buses depart
from the dock in the French
Quarter and from many of the big hotels. Once
inside you can find a Food Fair with 100 booths to sample
delicious Cajun, Creole and American food; as well as
a Craft Fair to peruse crafts booths celebrating the crafts
of African and South American artistry. A big hit
and must-see at this New Orleans jazz festival, is the
gospel choir tent, where you can listen to amazing and
uplifting gospel music the south is famous for.
You might have trouble getting hotel
reservations during this popular event, so be sure
to book in advance. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage
Festival lists the Sheraton New Orleans as their official
hotel or check their webpage, which advertises special
room rates if you book early. Remember that if you
book a hotel in the French Quarter during Jazz Fest, it
can be quite noisy in certain parts of the town. So
check with the hotel to give you an interior room or choose
a hotel away from crazy party Bourbon
Street.
New Orleans is the kings of events and festivals in
Louisiana, so you can find other New Orleans jazz festivals
during the year like the French Quarter Festival in April
and the Satchmo Summerfest in August which celebrates
the music of one of the original founders of jazz music,
Louis Armstrong.
