What to know about The Rolling Stones day at Jazz Fest

If you go: Expect festival security to enforce different rules Thursday than what you might be used to when you get to the Fair Grounds.

• That includes different regulations for chairs and blankets. Namely, only small chairs with a "less than 19-inch footprint" are allowed through the gates.
• And no one can bring in blankets, tarps or other ground coverings, according to the festival website.
• You can still bring bags, backpacks, small coolers, factory-sealed bottles of water, snacks and any accommodations you might need to get around, such as wheelchairs and strollers.
• See the FAQ marked "What can you bring on May 2 (The Rolling Stones)"

The Fair Grounds also look a little different this year to accommodate the band's appearance and the crowd expected at the Festival Stage.

• Most vendors will continue sales as usual, but a festival spokesperson told NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune that some booths may shut down early.
• As the schedule shows, all Jazz Fest stages will shut down by 3:45pm, except for the Festival Stage.
• That stage, which has an expanded standing-room-only space this year, will continue with Dumpstaphunk until 4:25pm.

• The Rolling Stones are slated to play from 5-7pm.

Zoom out: Once Friday hits, it's back to Jazz Fest business as usual.

• Headliners the rest of the weekend include the Foo Fighters, Hozier, Neil Young with Crazy Horse, Queen Latifah, Greta Van Fleet, Bonnie Raitt and Earth, Wind & Fire.
• And yep, Trombone Shorty will close out the Festival Stage on Sunday.

Go deeper:

• A local's guide to Jazz Fest 2024.
• What's new at Jazz Fest this year.
• A review of the Stones' opening tour date in Houston this week.