The first New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival was held in Congo Square in 1970. George Wein was the director of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. The Festival is always held in the last weekend of April and the first weekend of May.
The New Orleans Jazz Fest is held at the New Orleans Fairgrounds.The New Orleans Jazz Fest moved to The Fairgrounds in 1972. The second year the New Orleans Jazz Fest was here. The New Orleans Jazz Fest has been going on for 31 years, from 1970 to 2001.
In the first two years 1970 and 1971, the Jazz Fest Company asked local talent that played at gospel programs and blues clubs to play. The first ten years the New Orleans Jazz Fest was going on the Jazz Fest was not as big as it is now.
Quint Davis is the director of the Jazz Fest now. He hoped that in the first year, 1970, the people he asked to play would. He also hoped that people would come and listen to the music. Quint Davis has always loved music. His highlights of the festival were when Aretha Franklin played at the Jazz Fest. Another highlight was when Van Morrison , B.B. King and Muddy Waters played at the Jazz Fest. Most of all when Chris Owens played for the first time was a real highlight because she is one of the most important long running entertainers in the history of New Orleans entertainment although she is rarely seen by locals. The most challenging part of his job is that he has to keep it going because it is important to the people .