If you’ve never been to the Big Easy, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival might be the right opportunity to go there. The first festival featured jazz & blues legends like Mahalia Jackson, Duke Ellington, and Fats Domino. Today it continues to build on those roots with an eclectic mix of genres, including Cajun, zydeco, rock, funk, Latin, Caribbean, folk, and more. If you want to experience the soul of New Orleans without the outrageousness of Mardi Gras, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival might be just for you.