2019 New Orleans Jazz Fest - 50th Anniversary
 

It looks like 2nd Thursday, May 2, will be the commemorative day to the celebrate the 50th. Expect that one day to have higher ticket prices, bigger big-name-acts (Rolling Stones is the rumor), and possibly a first-ever limit on the number of tickets sold.

Jazz Fest 2019 Brass Passes Nixed for Second Thursday

Music schedule
 

It's a shame that residents of Hancock Parish Mississippi aren't considered local. They've got far closer ties to NOLA than someone from, let's say, Ruston. :td:

The allotment for the locals presale is 10,000 tickets. I expect it will sell out before the endof the day, but whether some of those purchases are just intended for resale at a profit is anyone's guess.

The Advocate this morning mentioned that on Stones day, no chairs or tarps will be allowed at the stage where the Stones play. Given how much extra space those take up, this should allow them to sell a lot more tickets (75K instead of 50K?), and perhaps ease demand a bit. But I think that day does still sell out.

I think calling Hancock a Parish was a tongue in cheek way to emphasize that they're so close to Louisiana? But limiting "locals" by state is just logistically easier. It's simple for the clerk at the ticket office to see what state a license is from; it's much harder and slower to verify what county/parish a specific address is in, or whether it's within x miles of 70119.

I'm afraid guessing isn't your strong point. I was born and raised in Baton Rouge and until I was 47 years old lived and worked in that city as well as New Orleans (8 years), Houma (1 year), and Bay St. Louis, Mississippi (15 years). "Hancock Parish" is one way people in the rest of Mississippi sometimes jokingly refer to the westernmost county on the Mississippi Gulf Coast where Mardi Gras is celebrated, bars are ubiquitous, and poboys and boiled crawfish can be found on most restaurant menus. (The shrimp poboys from Waveland's Claiborne Hill Supermarket deli are among the best I've ever had. I'm told the roast beef aren't bad either, but I always order the shrimp.)

When I lived on City Park Avenue, we could hear the music from JazzFest from our front porch if the wind was just right. :D

The locals' presale actually lasted all day. Folks showing up as late as 5:30 pm got tickets.

The general sale today was another story. Stones day sold out by around 11:30, and if you were buying online and weren't in the virtual queue at 10 am sharp, you were out of luck. VIP packages for 2nd weekend also sold out.

Plenty of tickets are available for the other 7 days, though.

After 31 consecutive years attending Fest, I'm sitting this one out. Now based in Abu Dhabi, I'm not able to get to NOLA as often as I'd like (one or two times a year, as opposed to four or six times a year), and I prefer being there during non-Fest periods. I have no doubt that once I reside in NOLA, I'll get a brass pass every year and come and go as I please, but in the mean time I'm having a time out.

JazzFest is still the greatest music festival in the world in the greatest city in the world. Have a great time everyone!

Additional tickets for Rolling Stones day went on sale yesterday.

General admission is now $250 (up from $185), and still available.

Second weekend VIP packages also went back on sale. Big Chief (was $2000 now $3000) and Grand Marshal (was $2000 now $3500) are available.