Through collaboration and cooperation with every department, the Sustainability Team of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell is working hard to find more responsible ways to celebrate our music, culture, and region together. Jazz Fest celebrates the importance of Sustainability and has a diverse team dedicated to improving and expanding this effort. Last year, we successfully diverted 82,400lbs of recyclable materials from our local landfills!

This year, with the generous support of Shell, we are again expanding our recycling program on site. In addition to increasing the number of recycling locations around the Festival, we are excited to grow the Shell Recycling Rewards incentives program that educates and encourages patrons to help Jazz Fest collect more recyclable materials. Festival-goers can acquire mesh collection bags at either of the two Recycling Rewards Tents. Patrons then fill these bags with recyclable materials and once full, participants can return it to one of the two Recycling Rewards Tents to be entered into an exciting Festival sweepstakes. 

This year, with each full bag of recyclables returned, patrons will increase their chance to win either two VIP Grand Marshal passes for a weekend of their choice in 2025, or one of two brand new Shell RIDE SR-38 Electric Bikes! 

Recycling locations, water refill stations, and bicycle parking are marked on Festival maps. We encourage attendees to bring an empty reusable water bottle or consider purchasing a reusable Jazz Fest stainless tumbler from an official merchandise tent.

Behind the scenes, we continue to work with our food vendors to collect used cooking oil, which is then turned into fuel for local shrimping boats. These vendors and staff will also recycle their corrugated cardboard and plastics for the duration of our time on site.  We are growing our composting initiative,  collecting fruit waste from the WWOZ hospitality tent and other compostable materials from vendors on site. 

In conjunction with our Stage Team, we are continuing our battery recycling program, collecting batteries from talent’s audio devices after rehearsals and performances. 

We look forward to coming together to improve our sustainability efforts at the 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell. Thank you for doing your part to help us host a more sustainable Jazz Fest!