The 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival drew the second largest attendance in the event’s history, according to organisers.
Boosted by an additional day and a long-awaited headline performance by the Rolling Stones, the US festival pulled in half a million people across two four-day weekends to rank behind only the 2001 edition, which was attended by 600,000. Last year’s festival attracted 460,000 fans.
First held in 1970, the Jazz Fest featured over 5,000 musicians across 14 stages at the Fair Grounds Race Course from 25-28 April and 2-5 May, averaging crowds of over 60,000 per day.
It was a case of third time being the charm for the Stones, who previously had to cancel their appearances at the event in both 2019 and 2021. Other artists to appear included Foo Fighters, The Killers, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Chris Stapleton, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Hozier and Jon Batiste.
“This year’s festival presented as plainly as ever the beauty of Jazz Fest”
“This year’s festival presented as plainly as ever the beauty of Jazz Fest,” says Quint Davis, producer and director of the event, as per AP. “Watching the Rolling Stones perform with New Orleans and Louisiana stars Irma Thomas and Dwayne Dopsie was to witness the power of the festival to demonstrate the connection of our culture to some of the greatest music of our time.”
Also on the bill were the likes of Queen Latifah, Vampire Weekend, Greta Van Fleet, Heart, Bonnie Raitt, Earth, Wind & Fire, Joe Bonamassa and the Beach Boys.
Next year’s event is scheduled to take place from 24 April to 4 May.
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