How to Get Good Seats at the New Orleans Jazz Fest

The New Orleans Jazz Fest is all about seeing music. Being that 80,000 people may be clamoring to see the most popular acts--Harry Connick, ZZ Top, Aaron Neville, Bonnie Raitt, and a lot more—you may end up having to see bands through binoculars if you’re not careful.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Jazz Fest schedule
• Time
• An alarm clock

1. Figure out which bands you want to see most. Keep in mind other people will probably want to see the same group too and they’ll be following all these steps.
2. Get there early. Read the above step: you may have to get there VERY early to ensure that you beat all the people looking for a good spot: a couple of bands, or hours, beforehand.
3. Do not—repeat do not—save a forty foot square area for you and your 40 friends. You may need armed guards to protect this amount of space. People are going to dislike you for it. Be reasonable—only save a small area.
4. Always have someone to guard the fort when you leave to go to the bathroom, get food, or wander around.

Tips & Warnings

• Be nice. You need to be aggressive when saving a spot for several hours, but don’t be rude. That’s not what the Jazz Fest is about.
• There’s no great way to save an area right in front of the stage as it’s sort of a free for all, standing room only. If you’re looking to camp out—sit down or picnic—you’re going to want to be back from the stage. Try to get a place in the center. The music will sound better.
• If you’re trying to weave your way to the front, it can be pretty hard if you’re carrying a bulky backpack or crafts you just bought.
• Up close to the stage can be very loud. Think about using ear plugs if you’ve got sensitive ears.