The primary focus is on jazz, both traditional and contemporary... Nowadays however almost all music genres are covered including pop, funk, country/western and hip-hop and interacts many internationally renowned 'big names'.

Jazz Fest is currently held during the daylight hours, commencing at 11am, and finishing up at 7pm at the historic Fair Grounds Race Course over two weekends - the last weekend of April and the first weekend of May, this time round that will be Friday April 23-Sunday April 25 and Thursday April 29-Sunday May 2.

Hundreds are slated to perform on twelve stages and parades will march through the grounds every single day of the festival at various hours. Jazz will be given its own tent, the WWOZ Jazz Tent, but not restricted only to thus and the Chouest Family Kids Tent will keep young children and families alike entertained with young brass bands, story-tellers, dance performances and such acts lined up throughout the day.

HISTORY
It has been named the Festival of the Year four times by Pollstar magazine, called the “country’s very best music festival” by Life magazine and the Wall Street Journal once wrote that it “showcases a wider, deeper line-up of essential American musical styles than any festival in the nation. In New Orleans, it is only rivalled by the Mardi Gras.

In 1970, George Wein was recruited to design and produce a unique festival for New Orleans and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, a non-profit organisation, was established to oversee the festival. Wein came up with the concept of the Louisiana Heritage Fair, a large daytime fair with multiple stages featuring a wide variety of indigenous music styles, an evening concert series and food stalls featuring various Louisiana cuisine as well as arts and crafts booths. It would turn out to be a concept with a wide-ranging and long lasting appeal, with a little something for pretty much everyone who likes music – 2010 culminates Jazz Fest’s 41st year of existence after all.

Wein also hired Allison Miner and Quint Davis of the Hogan Jazz Archives of Tulane University to help put together the festival. They have continued to be a part of the festival since – Miner who also founded the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation Archive, until her death in 1995 and subsequently had an interviewing stage renamed in her memory and Davis who produces the festival to this day.

In its initial years, musician participants were usually limited to acts that had been born in the environs of Louisiana state – Pete Fountain, Al Hirt, Clifton Chenier, Fats Domino, The Meters, The Preservation Hall Band, but later it had expanded to all national acts that fit the bill of the festival’s spirit.

FOOD
Food is a huge part of Jazz Fest since it plays a vital role in New Orleans/Louisiana culture. The official policy of the Festival with regards to food is - 'no carnival food'. Close to one hundred food stalls will sell Louisiana delights such as shrimp and okra gumbo, meaty white beans, crawfish bisque, oysters Rockfeller bisque, sausage macque choux, crawfish Monica, crawfish beignets and boiled crawfish. Not forgetting New Orleans po'boys (sandwiches) including alligator sausage, cochon de lait, fried green tomatoes, shrimp cocktail, Creole hot tamales, catfish almondine, fried chicken livers with pepper jelly and many, many more stuffing on offer. For desert, sweet potato cookies, banana bread pudding, pecan pie, couscous with yoghurt, spumoni and lemon pound cake are a must try.

This year La Divina Gelateria which has a reputation for using local, local, local will join the food vendors, serving scoops and cones of gelato and sorbet as well as have a parked ice cream tricycle near Heritage Square.

All food vendors are locally owned small businesses which have been screened thoroughly for quality, food handling practices and capacity. This year, two cooking stages will also be set-up (in addition to the 12 performance stages) at the Fair Grounds Grandstand where the rich culinary history of the city and state will be demonstrated and samples of signature dishes featuring local ingredients by celebrity chefs, farmers, fishermen and home cooks will be offered.

CRAFTS & CULTURE
Large areas are dedicated to cultural and historical practices unique to Louisiana - a key unique feature of the Festival. The state is a true melting pot rich in cultures, including Cajun, Los Islenos and Creole. Several are specific to certain neighbourhoods of New Orleans or other parts of Louisiana. Many of the folk demonstrator have been recognised by the National Endowment of the Arts for their work.
The practice began in the early 70s with just a handful of artisans - self-taught painter and street preacher Sister Gertrude Morgan, acclaimed jewellery designer Mignon Faget and the Louisiana Coushatta basket weavers. It has now grown to feature over 300 regionally and nationally acclaimed artisans in four distinct venues.

Congo Square for instance will showcase music and art from Africa and the African Diaspora including original paintings, sculpture, clothing, jewellery, musical instruments and an array of handcrafted artworks. The Louisiana Marketplace is a must check-out for traditional and modern works from all over the state -- whimsical jewellery and pine-needle baskets included.

BACKPACK
How can you tell the Jazz Fest neophytes from the veterans? Check their backpacks. Or so it is said in New Orleans. Apparently there is more to getting the best out of you eight hours at the Fair Grounds than just a few water bottles and a camera in a tote back. Here are the essentials:

Binoculars - For those of you who have no plans to get to the venues real early

Sunscreen and lip balm

Raincoat - The obvious choice if it does rain (can you imagine trying to hold an umbrella in a festival throng?)

Wet wipes - For all your wiping needs - from hot sauce to sweat and dirt and well...

WWOZ backpack cooler - Also a collectible and the $20 cost also supports the funky community radio station at 90.7 FM. To order, click on Swamp Shop at www.wwoz.org.

TIPS
Wear comfortable shoes you don't mind getting real dirty because they will.

Experience a real slice of Louisiana and save up on your cash reserves by trying out the free food at the cookery demonstrations

Opt for a real air-conditioned bathroom at the grandstand instead of the portable potties where there are cubicles, running water as well as Band-aids and sunscreen for sale. Attendants are present to ensure adequate toilet paper and soap so be prepared to tip.

Toss in a food container or two in your backpack for your leftovers, which will make a lovely snack later in the evening.

Stop by at the CD/DVD tent for more work of an artiste you liked or purchase a copy of a show you really enjoyed or missed at the Jazz Fest Live Festival Recording Tent.

Talk to strangers - they'll have the best tips, and share in the Jazz Fest experience.

GETTING TO THE FEST

The Fair Grounds Race Course is located at 1731 Gentilly Boulevard, a few minutes from downtown and the French Quarter. However the immediate area will be off-limits to most vehicular traffic. A bus service on the Esplanade route will take festival-goers to within walking distance of the festival gates as will shuttle bus services from various points around the city.

Do take a map with you and when in doubt always ask for directions. The best tip however is to follow the crowd, there's no way else to go when its Jazz Fest time.

TICKETS
The complete Festival schedule, known as 'cubes' is available online at http://2010.nojazzfest.com/events/2010/04/23/

Tickets are available for each day with advance purchases being considerably cheaper ($45 vs. $60). Tickets for children (aged 2-10) however are only available at the gate and an adult must be present. The Grand Marshal VIP Pass will give you the luxury of moving from stage to stage and watching the performers up close. The Krewe of Jazz Fest VIP Pass covers high-end folding seats, private upscale restroom facilities and a dedicated beverage concession area as well as the opportunity to view all the action on the Acura Stage in an exclusive environment.

Tickets are available online at ticketmaster.com and at Jazz Fest ticket offices.

SPECIAL EVENTS
The 12th Annual Gala Fundraiser by the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Foundation Inc. will feature a lifetime tribute to Dr. John, celebrating the fifty plus years of the New Orleans musical icon. Jon Cleary and the Heritage School Music Band will also be featured. The event will take place on Thursday April 22, the eve of the festival at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel at 7pm. The $500 pass includes dinner, patron premiums, plus Gala Pass to Jazz Fest on all seven days.

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation and WWOZ-FM radio station have organised the Community Day of Service on Wednesday April 28 at New Orleans Area Habitat For Humanity's Musician's Village in the Upper Ninth Ward. The Day is part of the Foundation's Raisin' the Roof home ownership programme. Volunteers must arrive at the Musician's Village (the exact location will be informed on April 26) and stay at the work site until 3:30pm. Footwear needs to be sturdy with closed toes and heels. Volunteers can register online before 4pm Friday April 23.

This year the Sync Up Conference will take place at the New Orleans Museum of Art and will discuss the topics International Music Festivals Market, Licensing Music to Film and Television, Song writing and Using the Internet to Market and Sell Music. Admission is free but seating is limited so advance registration is a must.

Many peripheral events, mostly music, take place around the city of New Orleans both during the Jazz Fest and the days in between and together make what is known as Jazz Fest!