The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell returns to the Fair Grounds Race Course over two long weekends in 2027: Thursday, April 22 to Sunday, April 25, and Thursday, April 29 to Sunday, May 2, according to the festival's official FAQ. Gates open at 11 a.m., the music runs until 7 p.m., and last admission is 6:30 p.m. The Fair Grounds sit at 1751 Gentilly Boulevard, which the festival describes as about 10 minutes from the French Quarter.
Elly8.net books the ground transport around it: a chauffeur meeting you at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, a festival-day drop-off at an agreed point outside the streets the city closes to app rides, and a car waiting at a set time when the last sets end. Prices are fixed, all-in and the same during Jazz Fest as in any other week, and the 24/7 desk runs the booking from landing to departure.
How do you get to Jazz Fest at the Fair Grounds?
Most visitors take the official Jazz Fest Express shuttle, walk, cycle, or use a car to an agreed drop-off point outside the restricted perimeter, then walk to the Gentilly, Trafalgar or Sauvage gate. On-site parking is very limited. From the French Quarter the drive is about 2.6 mi (4.2 km); from MSY about 13 mi (22 km).
The Fair Grounds sit inside a residential neighbourhood in Gentilly, and the festival works hard to keep the streets around it liveable. Parking on site is only available with the top VIP packages, the festival says, plus a limited number of accessible spaces; the surrounding streets are residents-only parking; and the city excludes rideshares from dropping off or picking up within a set perimeter around the venue, with a designated pickup zone on the festival's transportation map. There is no on-site parking or unloading for oversized vehicles such as RVs and charter buses.
That is the transport problem. A very large crowd arrives across the late morning and leave together at 7 p.m., the nearest streets are closed to car drop-offs, and the app pickup zone is the same place everyone else is waiting. A pre-booked car does not make the walk disappear, but it turns the trip into a plan: a known drop-off point, a known pickup time, and a chauffeur already waiting when you come out.
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Jazz Fest 2027 dates, hours and gates
| Item | Detail (official festival information) |
|---|---|
| Weekend 1 | Thursday, April 22 to Sunday, April 25, 2027 |
| Weekend 2 | Thursday, April 29 to Sunday, May 2, 2027 |
| Hours | Gates 11 a.m.; music until 7 p.m.; last admission 6:30 p.m. |
| Venue | Fair Grounds Race Course, 1751 Gentilly Blvd. |
| Pedestrian gates | Gentilly Blvd., Trafalgar Street, Sauvage Street |
| Bicycle parking | Free, near the Gentilly Blvd. and Sauvage Street gates |
| Parking on site | Only with Big Chief, Grand Marshal and Krewe of Jazz Fest VIP packages, plus limited accessible spaces |
| Rideshare | Excluded within a perimeter around the venue; designated pickup zone on the festival map |
| Tickets | 2027 tickets not yet on sale; they go on sale with the talent announcement |
The festival is cashless. The daily schedule, known as "the cubes", is usually published around a month before the festival, so the desk confirms pickup times once you know which stages you want to finish at. The official host hotel is the Sheraton New Orleans on Canal Street.
Arriving at MSY
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is about 16 mi (26 km) from the French Quarter, roughly 26 minutes on a clear road, and about 13 mi (22 km) from the Fair Grounds. Jazz Fest weekends bring a wave of Thursday and Friday arrivals and Monday departures, and the second weekend often brings the visitors who stayed in town all week.
| Route | Business Sedan | Business SUV | First Class Sedan | First Class SUV | Executive Sprinter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSY to the French Quarter | US$170 | US$225 | US$300 | US$275 | US$445 |
| MSY round trip | US$325 | US$430 | US$570 | US$525 | US$850 |
| By the hour, as directed (3-hour minimum) | US$95/hr | US$120/hr | US$155/hr | US$145/hr | US$190/hr |
All prices are per vehicle, fixed and all-in: chauffeur, vehicle, taxes, standard gratuity and airport meet and greet. Tolls, parking and waiting beyond the included time are billed at cost. Hotels in the CBD, the Warehouse District, the Garden District and Uptown are priced by address in the web booker.
Give us your flight number. The chauffeur tracks the landing and meets you inside the terminal with a name board; waiting after a tracked landing is complimentary, and child seats are available on request. See airport transfers and meet and greet.
Festival day: the car plan
From French Quarter and CBD hotels, the Fair Grounds are only a few miles away, about 2.6 mi (4.2 km) and 7 minutes from the Quarter on a clear road, and about 3.3 mi (5.3 km) from the CBD. On festival days the last stretch is the slow part. The usual routes in follow Esplanade Avenue and Gentilly Boulevard, which fill with festival foot traffic.
A plan that works:
- Morning drop-off. The desk sets a drop-off point outside the restricted streets, on the approach to the gate you prefer, and you walk the last few blocks. Gentilly Boulevard has the main entrance; Sauvage and Trafalgar Streets are quieter.
- Pickup at a set time. Agree the time and the corner before you go in, for example 7:20 p.m. after the closing sets, at a point away from the app pickup zone. The chauffeur is there when you walk out; leave a little slack in the time for the crowd at the gates.
- Keep the car for the evening. Jazz Fest days often run into dinner and a late club show on Frenchmen Street. The evening out and event night package (5 hours) runs from US$475 in a Business Sedan to US$950 in an Executive Sprinter.
For a whole festival day from hotel breakfast to the last music club, the full-day chauffeur package (8 hours) runs from US$700 in a Business Sedan to US$1,400 in an Executive Sprinter. For a simple drop and pickup, an hourly chauffeur from US$95 an hour, three hours minimum, or two one-way bookings in the web booker, are cheaper. See concert and festival transportation.
Groups, families and visitors with mobility needs
An Executive Sprinter carries a group, chairs and rain gear together, from US$445 for the MSY transfer or US$190 an hour. It suits families, groups of friends sharing a rental house, and music-industry or corporate guests hosted by a sponsor. For larger groups, the desk books several vehicles on one confirmation. See group transportation and Sprinter van with driver.
For visitors who use a wheelchair or find long walks hard, the festival publishes an access map, accessible seating and a limited number of accessible parking spaces at the Horseman's Gate on Gentilly Boulevard. Tell the desk what you need when you book, and we plan the drop-off point with the shortest walk the city's rules allow. The chauffeur follows Louisiana rules on what may be carried in the vehicle; the drinks belong at the festival.
Companies hosting clients at the Fest can open a corporate account with monthly invoicing; travel advisers can book through travel agent accounts.
Honest alternatives: the Jazz Fest Express, walking, bikes, taxis and apps
For many visitors the official shuttle is the best way in, and we say so. The festival describes the Jazz Fest Express as the only shuttle that drops off and picks up inside the gates. It runs continuous round trips between four departure points and the Fair Grounds on all eight festival days, from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (or until everyone has left). Departure points include the French Quarter at the Steamboat Natchez Dock, 400 Toulouse Street at the river, and the Wisner Lot at 5700 Wisner Boulevard, with parking included. Round-trip tickets are sold at the departure points on the day; see the festival's tickets page.
| Option | Price | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jazz Fest Express shuttle | Sold per round trip at the departure points | Most visitors near a departure point | Lines at closing time |
| Walk or bike | Free; free bike parking at two gates | Hotels in Mid-City, Treme, Esplanade Ridge | Heat, rain, a long walk from the Quarter |
| Taxi or app ride | Metered or set by the app | Short trips, light plans | Rideshare perimeter; long queues at 7 p.m. |
| Elly8.net car | From US$95/hr, 3-hour minimum, fixed | Families, older guests, groups, evenings out | Walk from the drop-off point; book early |
From the airport, the MSY taxi flat rate to the CBD and French Quarter is US$36 for up to two passengers or US$15 per person for three or more, according to the MSY taxi page, which is good value for a couple with light bags. A pre-booked chauffeur wins for families with child seats, groups with luggage, late flights, and festival days that end with dinner across town. See chauffeur vs taxi and chauffeur vs Uber and Lyft.
The days in between
Visitors who stay through both weekends have the Monday to Wednesday gap free. The private city highlights tour runs from US$380 in a Business Sedan to US$760 in an Executive Sprinter, covering the Garden District, the lakefront and City Park. The signature River Road plantations day trip is a 6-hour package from US$525 to US$1,050, with the chauffeur waiting at each stop. New Orleans & Company, the city's tourism organisation, publishes a full Jazz Fest guide with neighbourhoods and food. Others continue the trip by car or plane to Memphis, Nashville, Houston or Atlanta, all booked by the same desk.
Rides in New Orleans are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. Elly8.net is a member of LimousineWorldwide.Directory, LimousineAssociation.International, HotelsWorldwide.Directory and VacationsWorldwide.Directory. Flights and hotels can be booked through our travel partner BookingWorldwide.net; Elly8.net books the car.
How to book
- Enter the pickup and drop-off: your flight number for MSY, then your hotel and "Fair Grounds, Jazz Fest" for festival days, with the gate you prefer.
- Choose the vehicle: Business Sedan or SUV, First Class Sedan or SUV, or an Executive Sprinter for groups.
- Reserve now on the New Orleans page for listed fares and packages, or use the web booker for any other address. Confirmation arrives by email.
Jazz Fest weekends fill hotels and cars across the city, so reserve once your flights are set. Prices on the list do not change for the festival; parking and tolls are billed at cost.
Frequently asked questions
When is Jazz Fest 2027?
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2027 runs Thursday, April 22 to Sunday, April 25 and Thursday, April 29 to Sunday, May 2, 2027 at the Fair Grounds Race Course. Gates open at 11 a.m., music runs until 7 p.m., and last admission is 6:30 p.m.
Can a car drop us at the Jazz Fest gate?
Not right at it. The city excludes rideshares from a perimeter around the Fair Grounds, and the nearby streets are restricted, so the desk sets a drop-off point on the approach to your chosen gate and a pickup point for the evening. Expect a short walk.
How much is a car from MSY to the French Quarter?
A fixed transfer costs US$170 in a Business Sedan, US$225 in a Business SUV, US$275 in a First Class SUV, US$300 in a First Class Sedan and US$445 in an Executive Sprinter, per vehicle and all-in, including meet and greet.
Is the Jazz Fest Express shuttle better than a car?
For many visitors, yes: it is the only shuttle that drops off and picks up inside the gates, and it runs from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on all eight days. A car suits families with small children, older guests, groups, and days that continue into dinner.
How long should we book the car for?
For a drop-off and a set pickup, two one-way bookings or a short hourly booking work. If you want the car through dinner and an evening show, the 5-hour evening package from US$475 is usually better value. Hourly bookings have a three-hour minimum.
Do you provide child seats?
Yes, on request. Tell us the number and ages of the children when you book, and the car arrives with the right seats fitted.
What is the cancellation policy?
Cancel more than 72 hours before pickup for free. Within 72 hours the charge is 10%, within 48 hours 50%, and within 24 hours or for a no-show 100%. Refunds go back to the original card.
