New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

First held in 1970, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is one of the city’s most popular annual events. Thousands of musicians, chefs and craftspeople flock to the Fair Grounds Race Course, not far from the French Quarter, to celebrate two weekends of New Orleans music and heritage.

More than 400,000 come to participate in the event. Local businesses serve traditional Louisiana cuisine like jambalaya, crawfish and Po-boys from two large food areas. Local and international artisans demonstrate and sell their work ranging from jewelry to paintings to home furnishings. Musicians perform on multiple stages. Jazz isn’t the only type of music represented. The festival celebrates the music and culture of New Orleans and Louisiana, incorporating blues, R&B, gospel, Cajun, folk, country and bluegrass, to name a few. The list of performers will be announced in December.

The next festival runs April 24–May 3, 2015. Hours are 11 a.m.–7 p.m. Tickets start at $55. Travel packages are available. Due to the popularity of the event, hotel rooms fill up quickly. Be sure to secure your room early.