The early Jazz Fests were more intimate-- here's a shot of the audience sitting in front of the stage in 1971 by John Messina, courtesy of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Archive. This is in Congo Square, the site of the first two festivals.

In honor of Jazz Fest's 50th anniversary in 2019, we're featuring a Jazz Fest photo of the day with our audience. Keep your eyes here, and at our Jazz Fest 50 page, all year long to see them, plus more celebration of the big anniversary!

 See more Jazz Fest 50 Photos of the Day

 

 

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