The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival began in April 1970 by one of the greatest gospel singers of our time, Mahalia Jackson, and Duke Ellington. Since then it has grown into an important cultural event with great significance.

Bruce Springsteen will headline the show on May 3. (photo courtesy of NOVB)

The festival highlights all of the cultural bests of New Orleans – music, food, crafts and marketplaces, Louisiana folklife and native nations and let’s not forget the parades.

Jazz Fest starts Friday, April 25 and runs through May 4. Some of the headlining acts are: Eric Clapton, Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band, Christina Aguilera, Phish, Santana, Arcade Fire, Robin Thicke, The String Cheese Incident, Trey Songz, and many more. For a complete listing of events, acts and ticket information, visit www.nojazzfest.com.

Also available on the website is complete travel and hotel information. There are still rooms available, with links to hotel discounts and airfare discounts. Shuttle busses take fair-goers to the Fair Grounds Race Course, centrally located at 1751 Gentilly Blvd., 10 minutes from the French Quarter. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Gray Line Tours will operate continuous round-trip transportation – the Jazz Fest Express – from the Sheraton Hotel, the Gray Line Lighthouse at the Steamboat Natchez Dock (Toulouse St. at the River – next to Jax Brewery), and City Park (next to Marconi Meadows) daily from 10:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.

A special entrance will be used only by Jazz Fest Express vehicles to avoid traffic and bring Festival-goers inside the gates of the Festival. Add $18 ($15 City Park) to the price of a Festival admission ticket for this round-trip transportation service.

(photo courtesy of NOVB)

Admission and Jazz Fest Express tickets are available for sale on the days of the Festival from these locations or in advance through Ticketmaster. A one way ticket from the Festival to downtown will be available for $10. For more information, call (504)569-1401 or 1(800)535-7786. Or visit www.graylineneworleans.com/jazzfest.html

Tickets will be available at www.nojazzfest.com and www.ticketmaster.com, at all Ticketmaster outlets or by calling (800) 745-3000. Tickets can be purchased in person at the Jazz Fest ticket office located at the New Orleans Arena Box Office.  All Jazz Fest tickets are subject to additional service fees and handling charges.

The food at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is a great sampling of all of the different cuisine the city has to offer. While there will be plenty of shrimp and crawfish available, you can find freshly shucked oysters, po’boys, boudin sausage, BBQ chicken, muffulettas, catfish meuniere, Cajun jambalaya, smoked sausage macque choux, even hot dogs and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. And that’s just a few highlight! And sweets? From ice cream to pecan pie, cupcakes, cream puffs, macaroons, chocolate dipped strawberries, sno-balls and of course pralines, you will find something to satisfy your sweet tooth. Three different food area swith hundreds of vendors will be ready to serve you. Visit the website for a complete listing of the food and restaurant demos available. www.nojazzfest.com.