French Quarter Festival will take place from Thursday, April 16 – Sunday, April 19, 2026, featuring a variety of local performances across more than 20 stages throughout the French Quarter. Additional information is available at www.frenchquarterfest.org. 

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival will follow from Thursday, April 23 – Sunday, April 26 and Thursday, April 30 – Sunday, May 3, 2026, bringing together thousands of musicians and cultural experiences at the Fair Grounds Race Course. More information can be found at www.nojazzfest.com.  

The City of New Orleans Office of Coordination and Emergency Management (NOCEM) will support coordination efforts for both events, including staffing the City’s Event Command Post and maintaining situational awareness throughout festival operations. Representatives from partner agencies will be present to monitor conditions and support real-time coordination. 

Law Enforcement  

During French Quarter Festival, the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) will have more than 230 officers assigned to the event, in addition to regular NOPD Eighth District officers being at 100 percent staffing. Road closures will also be in effect throughout the French Quarter during this time. 

During the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the NOPD will staff more than 200 officers each day of the festival.  

NOPD Special Events Division, in coordination with partner agencies, will implement a vehicle mitigation plan during the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival to support safe pedestrian movement in and around the Fair Grounds.  

Festivalgoers are encouraged to park in well-lit areas, secure their vehicles, and avoid leaving valuables in plain sight. 

The Louisiana State Police (LSP) will support NOPD operations with additional personnel assigned throughout the French Quarter and Fair Grounds areas, including roving patrols to enhance visibility and assist with crowd management. 

The Louisiana National Guard (LANG) will also support operations by maintaining a presence in key areas to help manage pedestrian flow and prevent crowd congestion, with both static and roving deployments throughout festival areas. 

New Orleans Emergency Medical Services 

The New Orleans Emergency Medical Services (EMS) will have dedicated units including ambulances, bike teams, and medical carts with additional staffing units in the hospitality zone. Acadian Ambulance will provide EMS coverage at Goldring Woldenberg Park. Additional resources will be on standby.

French Quarter Festival All first aid services will be provided by LCMC Health at the following locations: 

• Gov. Nicholls Wharf (near North Peters St.)  

• New Orleans Jazz Museum (Esplanade Ave.)  

• Berger Lawn at Woldenberg Park  

• Jackson Square (near St. Ann St.)  

• Jax Brewery Lot (near St. Louis St.)  

The Touro Nursing Nest will also be available at the Jax Brewery Lot from Thursday, April 16 – Sunday, April 19. 

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival All on-site first aid and EMS coverage will be provided by Ochsner Health and Acadian Ambulance at the following locations: 

• Near the Shell Gentilly Stage  

• Near the Festival Stage 

Department of Parks and Parkways 

The Department of Parks and Parkways (DPP) will support festival operations by installing barricades to protect greenspace and providing staffing at Jackson Square.  

The department will also deploy water-filled barriers for French Quarter Festival and relocate barriers to the Fair Grounds in preparation for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. In coordination with the Department of Public Works (DPW), additional concrete barriers will be installed to support perimeter safety. 

Traffic Restrictions   

In anticipation of large crowds, the NOPD will restrict traffic to ensure pedestrian safety. Additional intermittent street closures may be required based on crowd size.  

Road closures will be in place throughout the French Quarter, prohibiting vehicle traffic in the following areas due to festival stages and events:   

• Bourbon St. from Canal St. to Dumaine St. (Vehicle crossing may be allowed at St. Peter St.)   

• Royal St. from Conti St. to St. Peter St.   

• Decatur St. from Conti to St. Peter St.   

• N. Peters St. from Conti to St. Louis St.   

Exterior and interior closures will be in place in the French Quarter from Canal St. to Dumaine St. and from Decatur St. to Rampart St.  

No parking will be allowed in areas closed to traffic for the duration of the event.  

NOPD officers will use sound judgment when assisting motorists in closed areas. Vehicle access beyond first responders will be limited to residents, businesses, and hotel guests.

For French Quarter Festival, residents and businesses within the French Quarter may pick up access passes from the New Orleans Police Department’s Eighth District station. Passes are currently available. 

Golf carts are not permitted within festival areas. 

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Street Closures 

The following closures will be in place throughout the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival: 

• Mystery St. and Fortin St. 

• Sauvage St. and Fortin St. 

• N. White St. and Fortin St. 

• N. Lopez St. and Fortin St. 

• Crete St. and Fortin St. 

French Quarter Festival Opening Day Parade  

Street closures will be in effect for the French Quarter Fest Opening Day Parade on the morning of Thursday, April 16. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. in the 200 block of Bourbon St. and proceed to Jackson Square for the annual Opening Day Ceremony at the NewOrleans.com Stage.  

The parade will take the following route:   

• Begin at Iberville St. and Bourbon St.  

• Continue on Bourbon St. to St. Ann St.  

• Turn right on St. Ann St. to Chartres St.  

• Turn right on Chartres St. to Jackson Square  

• End inside Jackson Square   

Parking Restrictions   

No-parking zones will be enforced from Thursday, April 16, at noon through Monday, April 20, at 1 a.m. These restrictions will apply throughout the French Quarter, including:  

• Barracks St.,  

• Bienville St.,  

• Canal St.,  

• Chartres St.,  

• Conti St.,  

• Dauphine St.  

• Decatur St.,  

• Elysian Fields Ave.,  

• Esplanade Ave.,  

• Iberville St.,  

• Madison St.,  

• North Front St.,  

• North Peters St.,  

• Orleans Ave.,  

• Royal St.,  

• St. Ann St.,  

• St. Louis St.,  

• St. Peter St.,  

• St. Philip St.,  

• Toulouse St., and  

• Wilkinson Row.   

Residents and visitors are urged to follow all posted signage. Parking enforcement will be active, and violations will be ticketed.  

• Do not block or park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant  

• Do not park within three feet of a driveway  

• Do not block sidewalks or park in fire lanes  

• Do not park in bike lanes  

• Do not park within 20 feet of a crosswalk, intersection, or stop sign  

For 24-hour parking enforcement assistance, call 504-658-8100. 

Transportation 

The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (NORTA) will support the French Quarter Festival and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival with active service monitoring and adjustments to meet increased demand.  

During French Quarter Fest, ferry service between Canal Street and Algiers Point will operate with enhanced capacity, including deployment of a second vessel and real-time schedule adjustments. Due to construction, West Bank queuing will be routed along the levee with signage in place. Bus and streetcar routes serving the festival footprint will remain in service but may experience delays due to congestion, and riders should allow extra travel time.  

For New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, ferry service will operate as scheduled, while Canal streetcar lines and service to City Park and the Fair Grounds area will be closely monitored with additional vehicles deployed as needed. Ticket booths will be positioned along Canal Street to support faster boarding.  

Riders are encouraged to plan ahead and use the Le Pass app, norta.com, or Rideline at (504) 248-3900 for real-time updates and trip planning. 

Festivalgoers using rideshare services are encouraged to utilize services along Canal Street or Esplanade Avenue. 

Information and Safety Tips 

Residents and visitors are encouraged to plan ahead, stay aware of their surroundings, and utilize official City resources for updates. Festivalgoers are also encouraged to review official event guidelines, including prohibited items and entry policies, on the French Quarter Festival and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival websites prior to attending. 

For real-time information and public safety updates, visit ready.nola.gov, or follow @nolaready on social media. Text NOLAREADY to 77295 for emergency alerts. 

Public safety is all our responsibility. If you see something, say something. Report suspicious activity to a public safety official or call (504) 821-2222.  

In an emergency, call 9-1-1. If you call 9-1-1, please remain on the line. Calls are answered in the order received, and hanging up and calling back will place you at the end of the queue. 

Residents and visitors are encouraged to stay hydrated and drink responsibly.