New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

What New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival does

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, presented by Shell, is an annual 10-day cultural event held over two weekends (Thursday through Sunday) at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. Owned and operated by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to promoting and perpetuating Louisiana's music, arts, culture, and heritage, the festival welcomes approximately 400,000 visitors each year and showcases a multi-genre music lineup across multiple stages, over 200 food and beverage offerings featuring traditional Creole, Cajun, and contemporary Louisiana cuisine, and dedicated marketplaces for crafts artisans (Congo Square African Marketplace, Contemporary Crafts, Louisiana Marketplace).

The underlying commercial and technical platform comprises ticketing (General Admission single-day, Weekend Passes, and VIP tiers), an official iOS/Android mobile application with personalized scheduling, lineup browsing, and interactive maps, a cashless on-site payment infrastructure, an official e-commerce store for limited-edition posters and BayouWear merchandise, and dedicated travel-package and hotel-booking channels. Revenue is generated through ticket sales, food and beverage commissions, merchandise sales, craft vendor sales, and a multi-tier corporate sponsorship stack led by presenting sponsor Shell alongside tier sponsors including Miller Lite, First Horizon, and Sandals Resorts.

Distribution is anchored by nojazzfest.com, jazzfest.store, the mobile app, the Sheraton New Orleans official host hotel, and the Jazz Fest Express shuttle operated by Gray Line New Orleans from four regional departure points. Go-to-market relies on event-driven demand with multi-channel marketing across Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, email and SMS newsletters, and partnerships with New Orleans Tourism, nola.com / Times-Picayune, and WWOZ 90.7 FM. The festival also pursues sustainability and community initiatives, including a 2025 program that diverted over 300,000 pounds of recyclable material and an oyster-shell recycling partnership with the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana.

Name

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

Legal name

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival & Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://nojazzfest.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, presented by Shell, is an annual 10-day cultural event at the Fair Grounds Race Course drawing approximately 400,000 visitors for Louisiana music, cuisine, and crafts, owned by the nonprofit New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation and monetized via ticketing, sponsorships, food/beverage, merchandise, and travel packages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music & Cultural Festival Events

NAICS

Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGAEAG

Arts & Culture Community Festivals (Multidisciplinary Arts Weeks)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Cultural Festivals & Community Events

SECONDARYTHAJAFAA

Concerts & Music Festivals

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Live Entertainment & Ticketed Events (Shows, Concerts, Sports Experiences)

SECONDARYMPAGAEAF

Food, Drink & Culinary Community Festivals (Community-Led)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Cultural Festivals & Community Events

SECONDARYBPAGAHAG

Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

Keywords

• Live music festival
• Cultural heritage events
• Festival ticketing services
• Event merchandise sales
• Corporate event sponsorship

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: The festival generates primary revenue through ticket sales including General Admission Single Day Tickets, General Admission Weekend Passes, and VIP Tickets
2. Food and Beverage Sales: Over 200 food and beverage items sold across multiple food areas, prepared by vendors who have participated for many years. Food items include traditional Creole and Cajun recipes, contemporary innovations, and New Orleans standards
3. Merchandise Sales: Festival merchandise including official posters, BayouWear apparel, and other branded items sold through the official online store
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Presenting sponsor Shell and multiple tier sponsors including Miller Lite, First Horizon, Sandals Resorts, and others provide sponsorship revenue in exchange for brand visibility at the festival
5. Craft and Art Sales: Craft artisans from the region and around the world demonstrate and sell their work at Congo Square African Marketplace, Contemporary Crafts, and Louisiana Marketplace areas

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The organization produces and operates the annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (Louisiana Heritage Fair), a 10-day cultural event held over two weekends at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans. Its core offerings include festival admission tickets (General Admission single day, Weekend Pass, VIP), on-site Louisiana cuisine and crafts, official merchandise, the Jazz Fest Express Shuttle, and travel packages for visiting attendees.

Product overview

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Presented By Shell is an annual 10-day cultural event held at the Fair Grounds Race Course, featuring the Louisiana Heritage Fair as its core product. The festival welcomes approximately 400,000 visitors each year across two weekends. The product portfolio includes: the official mobile app serving as the electronic guide for attendees; ticketing services with General Admission, Weekend Passes, and VIP options; the Jazz Fest Express Shuttle for transportation; travel packages; and official merchandise including limited-edition posters. The festival celebrates indigenous music and culture of New Orleans and Louisiana, featuring multiple stages, Louisiana cuisine, and crafts artisans.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• ShellcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Shell's branding appears prominently throughout festival materials, website, and marketing communications. The partnership positions Shell as a major supporter of Louisiana's cultural heritage events.
• Miller LitemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerBeverage sponsor featured on the festival website with logo placement among top-tier sponsors.
• First HorizonmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional financial institution sponsoring the festival with prominent logo placement.
• Sandals Resorts JamaicamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured as sponsor with Cultural Exchange Pavilion naming rights at the Sandals Resorts Jamaica Cultural Exchange Pavilion.
• Visit Jamaica (JTB)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerJamaica Tourism Board promoting Jamaican culture at the Cultural Exchange Pavilion.
• Ochsner HealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare provider sponsor supporting the festival's health and safety initiatives.
• Morris BartminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPersonal injury law firm sponsor with logo placement on festival website.
• Tito's VodkaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpirits brand sponsor featured on the festival sponsors page.
• Peoples HealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealth insurance provider sponsor with logo placement.
• New Orleans TourismmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial tourism partner promoting New Orleans and Louisiana culture through the festival.
• Monster EnergyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEnergy drink sponsor with logo placement on festival website.
• nola.com / Times-PicayunemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal news media sponsor providing press coverage and media partnership.
• Sheraton New Orleans HotelcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial host hotel of Jazz Fest, offering dedicated hotel packages and reservations for festival attendees. Located at 500 Canal Street.
• Coca-ColaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBeverage sponsor with logo placement on festival website.
• WWOZmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal public radio station, WWOZ 90.7 FM, is a festival sponsor and cultural partner supporting Louisiana music and culture.
• SteinwayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPiano manufacturer sponsor providing instrument sponsorship for festival performances.
• Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental partnership for oyster shell recycling program. Festival collects used oyster shells at Heritage Square Food area for coastal restoration efforts.
• Gray Line New OrleanscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial shuttle service provider operating Jazz Fest Express with 4 departure points including hotels, steamboat dock, and city park lot.
• New Orleans Jazz & Heritage FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe nonprofit parent organization that owns and produces the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell. Dedicated to promoting, preserving, perpetuating, and encouraging the music, arts, culture, and heritage of Louisiana.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival: Multi-day camping music and arts festival in Manchester, Tennessee, with broad genre programming and an immersive multi-day experience. Comparable as a destination cultural-music festival with food, crafts, and community programming similar to Jazz Fest.
• Essence Festival of Culture: Annual New Orleans-based music and cultural festival (formerly the Essence Music Festival) targeting cultural tourism, live music, and community programming. Directly comparable to Jazz Fest in geography, audience, and event-driven cultural festival model.
• Austin City Limits Music Festival: Two-weekend music festival in Austin, Texas with multi-genre programming across multiple stages. Comparable destination music festival with similar ticketing tiers, sponsor stack, and travel-package ecosystem.
• Voodoo Music + Arts Experience: New Orleans-based Halloween-season music festival held at City Park with multi-genre programming and art installations. Comparable in geographic market and event-driven live entertainment model, though focused on a different season.
• French Quarter Festival: Free, large-scale New Orleans festival showcasing Louisiana music, food, and culture across multiple stages. Comparable as a same-market, multidisciplinary cultural festival with strong food and music components.

Broad incumbents

• Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival: Large-scale U.S. music and arts festival produced by Goldenvoice/AEG, drawing hundreds of thousands of attendees. Comparable as a flagship U.S. cultural festival with multi-stage programming, sponsorships, and travel-package ecosystem, but operates at significantly larger scale and is owned by a major live-entertainment incumbent.
• South by Southwest (SXSW): Austin-based annual convergence of music, film, and technology with major sponsor support and large attendance. Comparable as a multi-format cultural festival with strong sponsor and tourism ecosystem, though broader in scope beyond music.
• Lollapalooza: Iconic multi-stage music festival held in Chicago's Grant Park, operated by C3 Presents/Live Nation. Comparable multi-genre urban music festival with similar sponsorship, ticketing, and travel-package revenue mechanics.

Regional players

• Beale Street Music Festival: Three-day music festival held on the Memphis riverfront as part of Memphis in May, featuring multi-genre programming. Comparable as a destination U.S. music festival with cultural/heritage positioning, though operates in a different regional market.
• Hangout Music Fest: Gulf Shores, Alabama beachfront music festival with multi-stage programming and destination-travel positioning. Comparable as a Gulf Coast destination music festival targeting similar travel-tourism attendee segments, though operates in a different state.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/jazzfest
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/jazzfest
• Facebookfacebook.com/JazzFest
• Instagraminstagram.com/jazzfest
• TikToktiktok.com/@jazzfest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/new-orleans-jazz-&-heritage-festival

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival