The 2026 Jazz Fest attracted 475,000 attendees in 2026. Now that the 2026 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell has ended, Festival Productions New Orleans’ CEO Quint Davis announced that this year’s event attracted 475,000 attendees, well above last year’s attendance of 460,000, and on its way to climbing back to the 450,000 at the 2024 celebration of New Orleans and Louisiana music and culture.

2026 Jazz Fest Crowd, partying in the rain. Photo: OffBeat/Kim Welsh

Despite two afternoons of rain and thunderstorms that shortened both Thursday and Friday performances of the Festival’s stacked lineup, this year’s event attendance managed to grow from last year.

“What happens at Jazz Fest isn’t just a moment—it’s part of a living cultural legacy,” said Quint Davis, Festival Productions New Orleans CEO. “We’re proud to carry that tradition into the future, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back next year.” Festival Productions New Orleans and AEG (based in California) are co-producers of the event, which is owned by the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation.

The 2027 Jazz Fest is scheduled for April 22 – May 2, with weekend dates of April 22 – 25 and April 29 – May 2.

Reviews of many acts at the festival are available by day from OffBeat‘s writers on eight posts on OffBeat.com’s “Online News.”