Annually drawing tens of thousands of fans each of its six days of activities, the Festival will again be held at the Fair Grounds Race Course and run from 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Ten stages of simultaneous music programming are complemented by an important, unparalleled Food Fair offering more than 100 varieties of authentic Louisiana cuisine and a stunning array of one-of-a-kind crafts available around the grounds in the Festival’s juried crafts areas.

As previously announced, Harry Connick Jr., the New Orleans-born superstar who’s two new CD’s, Oh, My NOLA and Chanson du Vieux Carre, put a musical spotlight on the city, will be the closing artist at the 2007 Festival, appearing Sunday, May 6 on the Acura Stage. In the coming weeks, the Festival will announce other details about the event (daily schedules, performance times, lists of food and crafts vendors and more). The most up-to-date information will be available at the Festival’s official website, www.nojazzfest.com.

The Festival’s two official posters will feature a portrait of Jerry Lee Lewis, the Ferriday, Louisiana Rock and Roll legend, by the Lafayette, Louisiana artist Francis Pavy; and a portrait of Philip Frazier, leader and tuba player of the Rebirth Brass Band, by Terrence Osborne, a perennial standout artist in the Festival’s Congo Square African Marketplace. Information on the posters is available at the Festival’s website and at www.art4now.com.

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, Inc. will hold its 2007 Gala fundraiser on Thursday, April 26. Al Jarreau, the incomparable vocalist, will give his only Jazz Fest performance. The Rebirth Brass Band and Wanda Rouzan will also perform. For tickets and information to the Gala, call (504) 558-6100.

Tickets to the 2007 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell go on sale today at www.nojazzfest.com and www.ticketmaster.com, at all Ticketmaster outlets or by calling (800) 488-5252 (outside Louisiana) and (504) 522-5555 (New Orleans). Tickets can be purchased in person at the Jazz Fest ticket office located at New Orleans Arena, 1501 Girod Street. Tickets to Jazz Fest are on sale by specific weekend, with each ticket valid for a single day’s attendance. Prices are $35 in advance, $45 at the gate. Children’s tickets (ages 2 - 11) are only $5 in advance or at the gate. A limited number of Jazz Fest’s popular Big Chief VIP Experience packages featuring a full weekend pass and VIP amenities is available for $600 per weekend, $700 with parking. Additional ticket and VIP information is available at www.nojazzfest.com.

Shell is the Presenting Sponsor of the Festival. Acura, People’s Health, Miller Lite, AIG, Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism, Fair Grounds Race Course (A Churchill Downs Company), the new AT&T, Southern Comfort, Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, Capital One, Borders Books and Music, Rajen Kilachand, Zatarain’s, St. Charles Vision are all also official Jazz Fest sponsors.

Gray Line Tours/Hotard Destination Services will operate continuous round-trip transportation – the Jazz Fest Express – from the Sheraton Hotel, the Gray Line Lighthouse at the Steamboat Natchez Wharf (Toulouse St. at the River – next to Jax Brewery), and Marconi Meadows (City Park) daily from 10:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. A special entrance will be used only by Jazz Fest Express vehicles to avoid traffic and bring Festivalgoers inside the gates of the Festival. Add $16 ($14 City Park) to the price of a Festival admission ticket for this round-trip transportation service. Admission and Jazz Fest Express tickets are available for sale on the days of the Festival from these locations or in advance through Ticketmaster. For more information, call (504) 569-1401 or (800) 535-7786. Gray Line is the official operator of the Jazz Fest Express.
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A listing of hotels offering Jazz Fest rates is available at www.nojazzfest.com.

For visitor information, log on to www.NewOrleansOnline.com: The Official Tourism Site of New Orleans.

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation is the nonprofit organization that owns the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, proceeds from which support the foundation’s various community development activities. Programs of the foundation include: radio station WWOZ 90.7-FM; the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation Archive; the Don Jamison Heritage School of Music; the Tom Dent Congo Square Lecture Series; the Jazz Journey concert series; the Community Grants Program; the Raisin’ the Roof housing initiative for artists and musicians; and the S.E.E.D. micro-loan program for entrepreneurs. For more information, please call the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation at (504) 558-6100.