The first weekend of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival begins.
Nola.com staff will be on site on day two of the festival to bring you live updates, tips and more for the coming days.
We'll be sharing what's going on from inside the gates and giving you all the inside scoop you need to know, whether you're coming for the fun or watching from afar.
Follow us below to stay up to date on all things Jazz Fest.
Tickets and admission information
Single-day tickets to Jazz Fest are $95 plus fees in advance at nojazzfest.com or $105 plus fees at the gate. One-day tickets for Thursday, May 2nd, when the Rolling Stones are scheduled to perform, are sold out.
Festival gates open at 11 a.m. daily during Jazz Fest. If you pre-purchased tickets but did not receive them in the mail, you can pick up your pass at one of the Will Call stands.
Jazz Fest Weather Forecast
There will be no rain during the first weekend of Jazz Fest in 2024.
Forecasters at the National Weather Service in Slidell say it will be a warm and dry weekend in New Orleans.
With Friday's high temperature expected to remain at 83 degrees and only a 1% chance of rain, it should be a perfect outcome for festival-goers.
It's expected to be sunny at times, but a few clouds will provide some relief from Louisiana's sometimes-blazing sun.
Temperatures on Saturday and Sunday will also remain in the low 80s, capping off a beautiful spring weekend.
where to find shade
At this festival, brand-new art installations will provide festival-goers with a much-needed respite from the sun.
A giant bright yellow umbrella created by local Colombian-American artist Vasco Bim looms near the Expedia Cultural Exchange Pavilion in the heart of the fair grounds. There is space to accommodate approximately 30 visitors.
The festival also added a shade canopy for the overflow crowd at the Expedia Cultural Exchange Pavilion.
Other pop-up bars, cultural showcases, and vendor tents scattered throughout the fairgrounds are great spots to cool off.
Friday music schedule
The music will begin at 11:10 a.m. with the NOCOA Community Choir. Other performers, including Los Cumbia Stars, Sonny Garage, Bruce Grubers and Timondo, are scheduled to begin their sets at 11:15 a.m.
The show will last all day, with the final set scheduled to end at 7 p.m.
The big names performing Friday night are The Killers and Jon Batiste.
Here's a breakdown of Friday's schedule and recommendations from Keith Spera and Ian McNulty.
what to eat at a jazz festival
Crawfish bread is back (thankfully), but there's plenty to try from grocery stores this year.
Here, Ian McNulty offers suggestions for classic Jazz Fest food.
Looking for something new? Clesi's, winner of Nola.com's crawfish bracket, carries boiled seafood, and this year, “Top Chef” nominees are cooking delicious Haitian dishes at the fairgrounds.
What's new this year?
One of the most welcome new additions to the 2024 Jazz Fest will be shaded areas. Check out the inside look at Keith Spera here.
How much will you spend?
Julia Guilbeault appeared on Locals on Thursday, walking around the fairgrounds eating, drinking and dancing. The costs for the first day were as follows: