The gates of New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival opened for its first day on Friday afternoon with bright blue skies. With headliners Sting, Sturgill Simpson, and Steel Pulse topping the evening, the day was filled with rocking performances from Wayne Toups, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Ron Carter Trio, Samantha Fish, Jon Cleary, Davell Crawford, and many, many more.
Aside from the diverse stage performances, genre-specific tents, and various performers on the race track, the overall vibe of Jazz Fest is accentuated by the cultural food offerings, the colorful costuming, and the artisan arts and crafts that line the festival’s walkways.
Photographer Ronald Valle was on the scene to capture the magic that is New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, as you can see in the full gallery below. Stay tuned for more photos from throughout the rest of the festival, and follow us along on Instagram for real-time posts!
Live for Live Music will be in New Orleans this year for Jazz Fest, where we’ll be putting on a series of late night and daze between shows at clubs across town. You can check out our late night guide for a comprehensive list of what New Orleans has to offer during Jazz Fest, and you can take a look at our own late night calendar below.
