Swag's Jazzfest FAQ - Tickets

What do tickets cost?

For 2023, single day prices are $80 (early bird, while supplies last), then $85 advance (through the day before each weekend), plus service fees. Gate price is $95 (no fees).

Fees for online purchases run about $9-10 per ticket. There's a $5 fee per order to have tickets mailed, or no per order charge for e-tickets.

Children's tickets (age 2-10) are $5, at the gate only. Under 2 get in free.  It's really a pretty good value when you realize that for that price, you can see so many acts, including headliners who usually charge $100 or more for their concerts.

Locals Day offers $50 tickets available for Jazzfest Thursdays, at the gate only, for Louisiana residents with ID. Limit is 2 tickets per resident.

There are several acts I want to see at the Festival.  Do I need a separate ticket for each?

One ticket gets you in to the Festival and will let you see as many performers at as many stages as you like.

Do I need a separate ticket for each day?

Yes, each day requires a new ticket.  Note that 1st weekend single-day tickets are good for any day on the 1st weekend; 2nd weekend single-day tickets are good for any day on the 2nd weekend

Is there a multi-day festival pass?

Weekend wristbands are good for all days of the selected weekend. Price for 2023 is $225 first weekend, $275 second weekend, early bird. The wristband is non-transferrable (unless it's put on loosely, I guess) and does not allow re-entry. If you're sure you'll use all the days, the pass saves about $25.

Wristbands are available online only, and are not available at the gate or box office.

Wristband supplies are limited.

All VIP passes are sold as weekend passes.

If you want to help a good cause, for a $850 donation, WWOZ, a community radio station that's the official station of the Fest, will give you a Brass Pass that give you unlimited entrance for every day of Jazz Fest (including in/out privileges), plus access to the WWOZ Hospitality Tent at the Fest (free water, iced coffee, and fruit; plus slightly cleaner port-o-johns).  The Brass Pass is transferable on a daily basis.  A portion of the cost (about $200) is tax deductible. Details at wwoz.org.

 

VIP Packages?

The fest offers three different VIP packages. I describe them here.

Re-entry? Can you leave and get back in on the same day?

No, there is no In and Out allowed with general admission tickets.  Re-entry will require a new ticket. The VIP tickets and the WWOZ Brass Pass and Gala Pass do allow free re-entry.

Group Discounts?

If your group will be purchasing 50 or more tickets, call the Festival's Ticket Manager at (504) 410-4100 for info or for the group order form.  The face value is not discounted, but there are no per-ticket fees. There's a flat fee of $25/order that includes shipping. Early bird pricing applies if bought before the early bird deadline.

Is there reserved seating?

No, it's all general admission. The VIP tickets get you into private areas, but there are no reserved seats there.

Will it sell out?

No. They'll just keep selling tickets and packing them in.  Even when a really popular act plays.  Record single day attendance was 160,000 for the Dave Matthews Band and Mystikal on Second Saturday, 2001 - but that day was an aberration. Elton John day in 2015 probably drew 130,000+, and that's the only other time they've passed 100,000.  The old record was 98,000 on Second Saturday in 1998, when Jimmy Buffett headlined (a great set, by the way).  Typical attendance is 60,000 on a weekday, 80-90,000 on a weekend.   See recent attendance numbers here.

When do tickets go on sale?

Usually the day after the performers are announced.

How do I get advance tickets?

Through the Fest website. With any of these methods, they'll hit you up with a hefty per ticket "convenience" charge ($10+/ticket for 2019). There's also a per-order delivery fee for wristbands, and also single day tickets if you opt for hard tickets (the default for singe day is e-tickets, with no additional fee).

Yikes!  I really really really hate fees.  How can I avoid the surcharge?

There are a few to minimize fees:

  1. If you are local, or arriving early, the Smoothie King Arena box office sells advance Fest tickets with only a $5/ticket service fee for cash purchases, or $7-8 for credit cards (2020 fees). These must be purchased by the day before each weekend starts (by Wednesday preceding each weekend). The box offices close daily at 4:30 pm; hours are sometimes extended on the final day of sales for each weekend.
  2. If you plan to take the "Jazzfest Express" shuttle (see my Transport page for more info), you can buy your Fest ticket from them when you buy the shuttle ticket. They charge no fees. If you buy the shuttle and fest tickets together in advance, you get the advance ticket price. They won't sell you the Fest ticket alone without the shuttle ticket, though.
  3. Group tickets can be purchased directly from the Fest ticket manager (see above). No per ticket fee if buying 50 or more tickets. See Group Tickets above.
  4. At the gate. You lose the advance purchase discount, but there are no fees charged for tickets at the gate.
  5. In 2022 and 2023, there were single-day in-person sales where tickets could be purchased at the advanced price with no fees. These sales are announced with less than a week's notice, but both years the first was an early April Saturday (at Tipitinas). In '22 they also had one-day sales on the day prior to each weekend, I expect this for 2023 also, but not yet confirmed..

Hey, Swag, I bought my tickets a while ago, but I haven't gotten them yet, and I leave for New Orleans tomorrow!  What now?

Contact ticket purchase support at http://support.festivalticketing.com/.

Page last updated April 4, 2023