The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (aka Jazz Fest to locals) is famous for its incredible music lineup, but there’s so many fun things to experience beyond the music! Whether you’re a foodie, an art lover, or just soaking in New Orleans’ vibrant culture, our favorite hometown festival is packed with unforgettable moments. We’ve consolidated our favorite things to do at Jazz Fest that locals and visitors love to help you plan.
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Here are nine things you can’t miss at Jazz Fest—besides the music!🎹
- 1. Sample the Best of Iconic New Orleans Food
- 2. Discover Amazing Art at the Contemporary Crafts Area
- 3. Watch Live Cultural Demonstrations
- 4. Visit the Louisiana Folklife Village
- 5. Find a Specialty Cocktail Tent and enjoy a beverage
- 6. Explore the Gospel & Blues Tents
- 7. Attend a Cooking Demonstration
- 8. Relax by the Lagoon, cool off and people watch
- 9. Experience "After-fest" – fun in Mid-City (just through the back pedestrian gates on Fortin St.)
- What Should You Bring to New Orleans Jazz Fest?
- Jazz Fest FAQ: What You Need to Know:
- Final Thoughts on Fun Things to do at Jazz Fest Besides Music
- Keep Reading for more Travel Inspiration:
🎭Don’t forget your Fest chair! We love this high-back folding chair with case [Amazon]! It is so easy to carry and set up.☀️
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1. Sample the Best of Iconic New Orleans Food
Jazz Fest is as much a food festival as it is a music fest. Forget basic festival snacks—you’ll find local culinary favorites like:
- Crawfish Monica (creamy, spicy pasta perfection) – It is the best!
- Cochon de lait poboys (tender roast pork sandwiches), Mufulattas (a must-try!), Cuban Sandwich
- Crawfish Bread – A favorite!
- Jambalaya, gumbo, variations on all the New Orleans classics 🍲
- Mango Freeze – It is delicious and will cool you down!
- Indian Fry Bread – We always make room for it!
Pro tip: Try something new each day! The food vendors are legendary, and some dishes are exclusive to the festival, such as the Indian Fry Bread in the Louisiana Folklife area.
2. Discover Amazing Art at the Contemporary Crafts Area
From handmade jewelry to contemporary paintings, to voodoo-inspired art, Jazz Fest’s craft market areas showcase the best of Louisiana’s art and culture. Be sure to visit:
- Congo Square African Marketplace – for unique, Afro-Caribbean art and wearables
- Contemporary Crafts Area – for stunning pottery, paintings, sculpture, and unique handmade gifts
- Louisiana Marketplace – for traditional Louisiana folk art and original paintings
We always bring home something special from one of the art vendors! The vendors change each weekend too so if you go both weekends make sure to check them out again! 🖼️
Related New Orleans Articles and Guides:
- Free DIY Self-guided New Orleans Cocktail Tour
- Best Haunted Places to Visit in New Orleans
- Mardi Gras in New Orleans Local’s Guide on Parades, Hotels, and Fun
3. Watch Live Cultural Demonstrations
Each year the Cultural Exchange Pavilion features a different country or region for visitors to experience through music, cultural demonstrations, food, and storytelling. The featured country for 2025 will be Mexico!
- Check out the food and drink booths unique to this area!
- See cultural demonstrations to experience and learn unique traditions.
- Experience the culture through traditional dance performances.
🎒Check out this easily packable 30L backpack [Amazon] that is perfect for festivals and travel!☀️
4. Visit the Louisiana Folklife Village
- The Louisiana Folklife Village has live demonstrations that demonstrate our cultural heritage and influences including carving and blacksmith demonstrations.
- Meet culture-bearers and discover historic Louisiana traditions that make up our heritage.
- There are also dance demonstrations and story-telling here. It is really interesting to experience!
5. Find a Specialty Cocktail Tent and enjoy a beverage
Sure, there’s beer—but Jazz Fest’s signature drinks are where it’s at. Look for:
- Strawberry Lemonade Vodka Punch (refreshing and dangerously good)
- Frozen Mango Daiquiris or Plum Street Spiked Snowballs( perfect for the Louisiana heat)
- Abita Beer (a local favorite)
- There are also champagne and other cocktail specialty tents where you can enjoy a cocktail, sit down, and get out of the heat.
6. Explore the Gospel & Blues Tents
Okay, this one is music-related, but it is an experience that has so much more to it! It is also a great area to grab a seat and cool off a little from the heat. The Gospel Tent and Blues Tent offer soulful, intimate performances. Even if you’re not religious, the energy in the Gospel Tent is electric—and the Blues Tent? Pure, emotional magic. 🎶
7. Attend a Cooking Demonstration
The Food Heritage Stage will showcase some of the best chefs in Louisiana! We always check out this area and sometimes the demonstrations end with a food tasting! Cuisine is one of the best ways to experience culture!
- This stage gets crowded so get there early to get a seat!
- There are sometimes cocktail demonstrations too!
- Don’t miss the Drag Brunch demonstration (check the schedule for the weekend you are attending)
8. Relax by the Lagoon, cool off and people watch
Find a shady spot near the Festival Lagoon, sit down, and take a moment to soak it all in. It’s the perfect time to reflect on all of the fun of the Jazz Fest day and people-watch.
You may even see a second line strutting by (join in)! You may also spot some amazing Mardi Gras Indians in full regalia. Their hand-sewn, highly-detailed, beaded suits and headdresses are dazzling, and their parade through the festival grounds is a must-see New Orleans tradition.
9. Experience “After-fest” – fun in Mid-City (just through the back pedestrian gates on Fortin St.)
After-fest is one of our favorite parts of Jazz Fest that we look forward to! It is uniquely “New Orleans”.
- It really has to be experienced to understand. Check out our YouTube video of a short clip of it here!
- After-fest is a whole neighborhood street party in the Mid City area surrounding the back pedestrian gates on Fortin Street
- There is lots of food, music, partying, and fun by local residents and everyone joining in
- It happens each night after the close of Jazz Fest.
- Don’t miss this if you have time after!
What Should You Bring to New Orleans Jazz Fest?
- It’s important to bring a comfortable foldable chair or waterproof blanket (6×8 or smaller) to sit on and “mark your space” at Jazz Fest. We recommend this budget-friendly folding chair (on Amazon)
- You can bring an empty 12 can soft cooler to keep beer or soft drinks cold at Jazz Fest. The beer booth will give you ice too! We recommend an inexpensive soft-sided easy carry cooler like this one on Amazon.☀️
- A small backpack to hold your art and craft finds or a blanket. It must be under 17″x12″x10″. We recommend: Small packable backpack with carrying case (Amazon). 🎒
- Definitely bring a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen!
- Bottled water (must be factory sealed) or refillable water bottle.
- You Can bring pre-packaged snacks like fruit snacks or protein bars.
- check out the full list on the official New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival website
Jazz Fest FAQ: What You Need to Know:
The festival gates open at 11:00 AM, but it’s best to arrive early (Pedestrian lines get long)—especially if you want to grab a prime spot with your chairs/blanket for a big-name act or beat the long food lines. Keep in mind that there’s no re-entry, so plan to stay for the day!
No, outside food (except small snacks), drinks, and large or hard-sided coolers are not allowed (Empty soft coolers that are 12-packs or smaller are ok) inside the festival. However, you won’t go hungry—the festival has some of the best New Orleans food you’ll ever eat! Bring a refillable water bottle (we love this 2-pack on Amazon!) and you can fill it at the water stations inside the fest.
Jazz Fest happens rain or shine! New Orleans weather can be unpredictable, so bring a rain poncho or small umbrellajust in case. If it rains, the fairgrounds can get muddy, so wear waterproof shoes or boots. (We love these colorful rain boots on Amazon!)
Yes! While you’ll find incredible music, food, and drinks, Jazz Fest is a great experience for families. There’s a Kids Tent with entertainment for little ones, plus cultural exhibits they’ll love. Just be sure to bring sunscreen, water, and a small chair or blanket for them to rest. It is an all-day event.
– Take the Jazz Fest Express Shuttle (runs from downtown hotels and City Park).
– Use a rideshare service like Uber/Lyft (expect surge pricing at peak times). If you get dropped off at City Park you can easily walk to the pedestrian gates.
– Ride the Canal Street streetcar to “Museum” and walk down Esplanade Ave to N. Lopez to Fortin St. to the entrance.
– Bike to the festival—there’s free bicycle parking near the pedestrian entrance on Fortin St.!
Bonus Tip: If you have to drive, Deutches Haus on Moss St. along Bayou St. John offers paid parking and is walking distance to the Pedestrian gates. (They have great food/drinks too!)
The party doesn’t stop when Jazz Fest ends! After-Fest is the unofficial post-festival celebration that takes over the Mid-City neighborhood, especially along Fortin Street through Esplanade Avenue. Residents throw street parties, hire porch bands, and set up food and drink stands, creating an electric, block-party vibe that keeps the Jazz Fest energy alive well into the evening. If you want to experience local, grassroots NOLA culture, this is the place to be! It is one of our favorite parts of Jazz Fest as locals!
🖼️ Find us on Pinterest too for more travel inspiration!
Final Thoughts on Fun Things to do at Jazz Fest Besides Music
Jazz Fest is about so much more than music—it’s a full-on cultural experience. Whether you’re feasting on local New Orleans delicacies, shopping for one-of-a-kind art, or dancing along in a second line, you’ll leave with great stories (and maybe a need to return next year for more fun!).
What’s your favorite non-music part of Jazz Fest?