The 2026 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival opens today. It consists of essentially two four-day weekends – Thursday through Sunday at the Fair Grounds Race Course. Despite the name, jazz is by no means the only music featured during the festival; Jazz Fest Producer Quint Davis says this is a celebration of Louisiana artistry.
“85% of the groups that are here are all from Louisiana, most of them from New Orleans. But that that other 15% is really important. If we didn’t have that, it wouldn’t be the same festival that it’s come to become now,” Davis explained.
That remaining 15% usually includes some of the biggest names in music, and this year is no different. Davis says among this year’s headliners are Stevie Nicks, the Eagles and Rod Stewart.
“These are people, if you see them, you see them in a theatre or you see them in an arena. But to see Rod Stewart at Jazz Fest, the Eagles at Jazz Fest, that’s a special thing,” Davis said.
Davis says this year’s cultural exchange is celebrating Jamaica.
“We have the Marleys: Stephen Marley, Ziggy Marley. But we have a ton of Jamaican music that we’ve never done before. And we have Jamaican food, we have Jamaican Rum Punch, Jamaican arts and crafts,” Davis said.
So if you miss this year’s Jazz Fest, you’ll certainly “Jamaica” mistake, so don’t miss it!
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