BREAKING: Jazz Fest 2026 drops a blockbuster lineup, and it is a love letter to New Orleans and the Caribbean. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival returns April 23 to 26 and April 30 to May 3, and this roster is built for big moments, deep roots, and a city ready to sing.
Star Power, Crescent City Style
I can confirm the headliners are heavy. The Eagles touch down with harmony and history. Stevie Nicks brings her spell. Rod Stewart turns the Fair Grounds into a giant chorus. Lorde leads the new wave of pop. Jon Batiste brings the hometown fire.
Herbie Hancock is set to stretch the sky. Earth, Wind and Fire pack the groove. Kings of Leon turn up the guitars. Nas locks in with classic hip hop command. Local legends and second line staples fill every gap, because that is the Jazz Fest way.
- The Eagles
- Stevie Nicks
- Rod Stewart
- Lorde
- Jon Batiste
The mix is surgical. Rock, jazz, R and B, hip hop, roots, and the city’s own brass traditions share the same lanes. It reads like a time capsule and a forecast in one. Expect surprise sit ins. Expect neighbors hugging. Expect that rare Jazz Fest feeling, a field full of people with the same beat in their chest.
Weekend passes and VIP packages go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. Louisiana residents get discounted general admission.
One Love Jamaica, One City Healing
This year’s cultural heartbeat has a clear name, One Love Jamaica. The festival dedicates a full showcase to Jamaican music and heritage, with a spotlight on resilience after Hurricane Melissa. Sean Paul, Ziggy Marley, Stephen Marley, and Koffee headline a lineup that covers reggae, dancehall, mento, gospel, jazz, and the parade joy of Junkanoo.
The Cultural Exchange Pavilion will serve as the island’s living room. Expect handcrafted goods, stories at eye level, and plates that taste like sunshine. This is not a side stage. It is the point. New Orleans understands recovery, and this bridge honors that shared path, set to bass and drum.
The Caribbean has always flowed into the Gulf, which flowed into the horn lines and rhythms of the city. One Love Jamaica makes that river visible. It will be the place where a brass band walks in on a ska groove and nobody misses a step.
Fans, City, and the Foundation
Fans have wanted a lineup that feels big and feels right. This is that lineup. It is sing along headliners at sunset and deep crate discoveries two tents over. Families will bring ear protection and dance anyway. Travelers will plan whole vacations around one weekend, then stay for two.
There is more than music at work. The Jazz and Heritage Foundation has already invested 2 million dollars in Community Partnership Grants for 2025 and 2026. That money supports education, cultural equity, media projects, and the small stages where tomorrow’s headliners learn their first solo. The artisan marketplaces return, including the Congo Square African Marketplace, and the crafts scene will be stacked. The festival does not just book culture. It funds it.
The Jazz and Heritage Gala lights the fuse on April 22 at Generations Hall. Black tie, big band energy, and a cause that matters.
Why it matters now
Tourism is part of this story. So is cultural resilience. Jazz Fest 2026 is a message to the world that New Orleans holds the line for music, food, makers, and memory. Pairing Hall of Fame names with One Love Jamaica says something clear. The future of festivals is not only scale, it is meaning. It is community care, set to a perfect backbeat.
How to plan your weekend
Here is the simple playbook. Pick your weekend first. Then build your days around the anchors, and leave space to wander. Follow your ears when a second line passes. Find shade. Hydrate. Repeat. There are no wrong choices, only new favorites.
If you live in Louisiana, check the discounted general admission. If you want the fast lanes and viewing decks, VIP will go fast. That is the truth every year, and it still applies in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When is the festival?
A: April 23 to 26, and April 30 to May 3, 2026. The Gala is April 22.
Q: Who are the major headliners?
A: The Eagles, Stevie Nicks, Rod Stewart, Lorde, Jon Batiste, Kings of Leon, Herbie Hancock, Earth, Wind and Fire, and Nas.
Q: What is One Love Jamaica?
A: A dedicated program celebrating Jamaican music and culture. It features artists like Sean Paul, Ziggy Marley, Stephen Marley, and Koffee, with a Cultural Exchange Pavilion.
Q: When do tickets go on sale?
A: Weekend passes and VIP packages go live Friday at 10 a.m. Louisiana residents get a discounted general admission option.
Q: How is the festival supporting the community?
A: The Jazz and Heritage Foundation has awarded 2 million dollars in grants for 2025 and 2026, and it supports artisan marketplaces and cultural programming across Louisiana.
The headline is simple. Jazz Fest 2026 is huge, heartfelt, and ready. It gathers the legends, lifts the locals, and opens a lane for Jamaica when it matters most. New Orleans has the stage. The rest of us have a date with a field, a horn line, and a chorus we already know by heart. See you at the Fair Grounds. 🎺
