New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is a double whammy. It serves as not only one of the best music festivals in the country, but also a boon to the incredibly vibrant culture of its home city.

The Shell-presented festival is helmed by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, which raises money towards showcasing traditional Louisiana musicianship at concerts; gives hundreds of thousands of dollars in community partnership grants towards preserving Louisiana culture and music/arts education; produces gallery events, cultural workshops and lecture series; and teaches generations of passionate new musicians at the Don “Moose” Jamison Heritage School of Music (to name just a few). Now that's a festival mission we can get behind.

For these community-minded reasons, we look forward to Jazz Fest's lineup every year – and to add to that, it never disappoints. Always a mix of iconic music legends, modern kingpins, up-and-comers, and cultural heroes, Jazz Fest brings a savvy mix to its Spring event. Snoop Dogg, Stevie Wonder, Dave Matthews Band, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Maroon 5, Lorde, Pitbull, Widepsread Panic, Kings of Leon....Check out the full 2017 lineup below to see what we mean.

In addition to the usual array of awesome acts, Jazz Fest is this year paying tribute to Cuban culture by throwing the largest celebration of Cuban culture in the U.S. since the 1950’s. Over 150 Cuban artists are invited to participate in the 2017 festival, most of whom will be in the U.S. for the first time! Click here to find out what Cuban artists have feet-moving music on deck for attendees here.

Occurring this year from April 28-May 7, 2017, music lovers and the culturally curious have plenty of opportunities to take in inimitable tunes and the sights, smells, and sounds of New Orleans. For more reading, check out our piece Why New Orleans Jazz Fest is a Model for the Festival World.

Support this wonderful festival by grabbing tickets here.