Jazz Fest security beefed up after Bourbon Street attack
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The Sauvage Street entrance to Jazz Fest was blocked with an NOPD vehicle and two barricades. Photo: Chelsea Brasted/Axios
Jazz Fest fans entering the Fair Grounds over the next two weekends will have to get through beefed up security as they pass through the gates.
Why it matters: The tightened protocol comes as a result of the Jan. 1 terrorist attack on Bourbon Street, an NOPD spokesperson tells Axios New Orleans.
The big picture: Remarkably little changes year over year at Jazz Fest, so any updates bear mentioning.
- Still, much like drones hovering over second-lines or Mardi Gras route changes, the increased security is a reminder that the outside world can squeeze into even the most culturally sacred of affairs.
Zoom in: More than 200 NOPD officers will be assigned around Jazz Fest each day, the department says.
- Vehicle-resistant barricades were spotted near the fest entrances.
- And additional technical support, like NOPD bomb technicians and monitoring from the Real-Time Crime Center, is in effect, NOPD says.
The intrigue: Not all neighbors are happy about the increased security, according to The Times-Picayune, but an NOPD spokesperson tells us the changes were made in partnership with festival organizers.
Meanwhile, Jazz Fest's other edits were indeed minimal.
- Other changes included the shift of last year's fun, bright yellow sculptural shade umbrella to the empty space between the Economy Hall Tent and the Ochsner Children's Tent.
- The Congo Square entrance, designed by Stronghold Studios, was updated, too. The two men atop the totems were replaced with two dancing women.
- The Ochsner Children's Tent, which expanded its footprint last year with additional activities and lawn games, also appears a touch more thoughtfully designed and programmed. Families were already busy at play by lunchtime Thursday.
/2025/04/24/1745523216933.gif)
Dig in: Make sure to stop by the Cultural Exchange Pavilion, which this year features Mexican food, art and music.
- I sampled the shrimp tostada and a frozen paloma on Thursday afternoon, and it was the perfect combination to fight back against the brutal heat that rolled in behind a short rainshower.
Go deeper: What to know if you go to Jazz Fest
