10 tips for getting the most out of your trip to the New Orlean's Jazz Fest

Second only to Mardi Gras, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Jazz Fest, is the event of festival season in New Orleans. Jazz Fest is a mile-long oval of food, music, and culture held for 7-8 days at the Fairground Racetrack every spring. A feast for the senses that goes so far beyond just jazz. And while it's impossible not to enjoy yourself there, here are 10 tips to get the most out of festing:

1. Get a WWOZ Brass Pass You can get tickets in so many ways and combinations that it's really hard to find one way thats the best. But, for my money, the WWOZ Brass Pass is the gold (or brass) standard. These are sold by WWOZ, a non-profit radio station in New Orleans dedicated to playing and preserving the music and culture of New Orleans. Therefore a purchase not only gets you into Jazz Fest but also helps out a great cause. For transparency, WWOZ and Jazz Fest have a common parent organization, so the finances are a little murky on my last point, but what isn't murky are the benefits - Brass Passes cover all days of the fest, are fully transferrable day-to-day, allow re-entry and have a dedicated lounge with free iced coffee and clean bathrooms (this alone may be worth it), and despite having all those added benefits, still comes in as one of the more affordable options when it comes to tix. You can go Big Chief or Grand Marshall and feel like a VIP, or you can save some of that dough for beers and beignets and still have a blast.

2. Join a second line How often do you get the chance to join a parade? If your in New Orleans, better than most. On a typical Jazz Fest day, you'll have 2-3 scheduled second line parades, complete with brass band and Mardi Gras Indians in full regalia. Plus, there's always those spontaneous ones, especially in the Economy Hall tent. The point is, don't let these pass you by - both literally and figuratively. Hop in line and find a rhythm, any will do. Wave a handkerchief, raise an umbrella and dance along to wherever the music takes you. Can this interrupt a carefully laid plan? Yes. Is it worth it? Hell yeah.

3. Visit the Cultural Exchange Pavillion Every year Jazz Fest features native, local, and international cultures to cross-promote understanding, appreciation, and tourism. From the Native American Village - offering indigenous foods and wares as well as performances that showcase the first people of the New Orleans area, to the Louisiana Folklife Village with showcases the craftspeople across the Pelican State, to the Cultural Exchange Pavillion that welcomes an international culture to promote travel and share the food, music, and art that make it special. 2024 welcomed Colombia with traditional parades, music, incredible food and drink, and a vibrancy that matched, if not exceeded, that of New Orleans itself. In addition, the Grandstands host several cultural, roots and local displays, seminars, and demonstrations across the festival.

4. Try the favorites and the sleepers

The food, it's too much but not enough and most of all it is perfect. An abundance that is matched only by the music on offer. From classics like the ever popular Crawfish Monica (a delightful, creamy crawfish pasta dish served only at the fest) to the WWOZ Mango Freeze (a rite of passage and another great way to support) to ya ka mein (a beef noodle soup that will put you back on your feet after a long night of fest after party). Then there is the new school, or maybe just the under-the-radar treats - chicken cracklins (seriously, we ate so many of these, they are so good), trout dizzy (or baquet if you're not into that crawfish thing, pro-tip - get into the crawfish thing), and Ms. Linda's fried porkchop sandwich (c'mon, of course it's good). But I'm missing so many more - cochon du lait, boudin in its many forms, po-boys, crawfish bread, jambalaya, and gumbo, then there's the Greek, Vietnamese, African, Caribbean, Cajun, so many stands sharing their love of food and their heritage and just making life worth living. I love food. Oh, and don't forget the rosemint tea (Sabrina sure didn't)

5. Visit on "locals Thursday"

I'd hate me too if I we local and reading this, but the first Thursday is "locals" Thursday. It's quieter, the headliner is a little more on the value side. But you get a great, low impact day of festing, lots of fun locals, and the best after party crowd of the fest. But, if you do take advantage of locals day, please refer to tip number 9.

6. Tent early and tent often

New Orleans, in May, can be hot. And you will sweat, and you will burn in places you missed with sunscreen (for me it's the top of my head and my lower thigh I assumed wouldn't be exposed but somehow was), and you will not drink enough water. Thankfully, mercifully, there are the tents. Jazz, Blues, Gospel, and Economy Hall. Some of the best music at the festival becomes sometimes a close second to the respite from the elements. Maybe not second but it's close sometimes. Truth be told, aside from the shade and misters, the music really is the main event. Legends often grace these stages - Marsalis', Nevilles, Irma Thomas and John Boutte - big stars and local gems. In between enormous festival stages with 10,000 fans, these tents provide a comparably intimate experience where you can connect with the artist and let your sweat dry at the same time.

7. Know your cubes

Get a schedule (know as the cubes due to their square layout), online or in person, and prioritize your shows. Not an easy task, what with 5 or 6 stages and as many or more tents, but a necessary task. I mean you can wing it and let the groove be your guide, but chances are there are a few must-sees for you on any given day, plus some can't-miss legends. It can be tough to choose, but on a busy Saturday, there is no way you're gonna see a 5:30 and a 6:15 show. Just not gonna happen. So make a plan, know your cubes.

8. Dance your heart out Seriously, no one cares. And everyone's doing it. Don't worry about looking like a fool, the only people looking foolish are the ones not dancing. Dance alone or find a partner, dance in the grass, dance in your seat. Dance in line for the bathroom, dance as the merch stand. There is no time, open to close (and even after), that isn't right for dancing.

9. Be nice or leave

Someone's gonna bump you, your beer will be spilled, inevitably someone 8ft tall will have the spot in front of you, and your toe will be stepped on. It's a festival. Everyone is here to have fun, and sometimes your fun and someone else's will overlap. Be the bigger person, let stuff slide. You never know, this could be that person's first time seeing their favorite band, or the last time. In the spirit of lagnappe, give the benefit of the doubt as much as possible. Plus a break from the sun evert now and again helps all moods for the better.

10. After-party on Bayou St. John Nothing caps off a day of festing like experiencing the unofficial afterparty on almost every street surrounding the racetrack. Buy a beer from a cooler on the street, get a hotdog from someone's front yard, have a negroni from a bar on wheels, or listen to (and tip) a local brass band. Party all the way to Bayou St. John and have a seat by the water. Leave the din behind and watch the sun set over the bridge. It's the perfect transition from fest to rest. And a great way to end the final day, time to reflect and be grateful for all you've experienced.