Lured by historic Rolling Stones performance, half-a-million fans attend New Orleans Jazz Fest
NEW ORLEANS– An extra day and the attraction of a Rolling Stones performance ensured a larger turnout at New Orleans Jazz 2024 & Heritage Festival for half a million people, organizers said on Monday.
That was the second highest visitor numbers in the festival’s history – just behind the 600,000 visitors in 2001. In 2023, more than 460,000 people passed through the festival gates.
“This year’s festival presented the beauty of Jazz Fest more clearly than ever,” festival producer Quint Davis said in a statement. “When I saw the Rolling Stones perform with New Orleans and Louisiana stars Irma Thomas and Dwayne Dopsie, I witnessed the power of the festival to showcase our culture’s connection to some of the greatest music of our time.”
The Rolling Stones’ historic, sold-out performance last week was the triumphant conclusion to a multi-year effort to bring the band to the event, following cancellations in 2019 and 2021. There are few festival performances that are more anticipated, and even fewer. if present, better received by fans, Davis said in a statement.
Other highlights of the 2024 festival included Jon Batiste’s only set in New Orleans, which paid tribute to the city’s piano legends including Professor Longhair, Fats Domino and Allen Toussaint. There was also the electric return of the Foo Fighters to the event, as well as performances from Chris Stapleton, the Killers, Queen Latifah, Fantasia and Vampire Weekend.
Next year the event will take place from April 24 to May 4.