New Orleans Jazz Fest Cancelled Again as COVID-19 Cases Surge Due to Delta Variant

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival has been called off for the second year in a row due to a rise in COVID-19 cases driven by the delta variant.

Affectionately known as Jazz Fest, the festival typically takes place every spring, but it was postponed last year because of the onset of the global pandemic.

This year, the festival was set to run from October 8 to 17, featuring the Rolling Stones among a stellar lineup that includes Lizzo, Stevie Nicks, Demi Lovato, the Foo Fighters, Ziggy Marley, Brandi Carlile, Norah Jones, the Beach Boys, Ludacris, the Wu-Tang Clan, Elvis Costello, and many more.

An announcement on the festival's Twitter indicates that ticketholders, including those who deferred their tickets from last year, will receive information regarding refund options. Refunds will automatically be given to those who bought tickets for the scheduled Oct. 13 performance by the Stones.

Ticketholders will also have the chance to transfer their admission to next year's Jazz Fest, scheduled for April 29 to May 8, 2022.

The official cancellation statement from the festival encourages everyone to adhere to the health guidelines established by officials, so we can soon enjoy the spirit of Jazz Fest together again.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID-19 Data Tracker, Louisiana has recorded over 32,000 new cases in the past week, ranking among the top five states with the highest recent positives, alongside California, Florida, Texas, and Georgia. Nearly 700,000 new cases have emerged nationwide in that time.

With hospitalization rates in Louisiana surging in recent weeks—over 2,700 individuals hospitalized at the time this article was written—Mayo Clinic indicates that less than 45% of the state's residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine.