Jackson Square
Jackson Square is a 2.5-acre public park in the heart of the French Quarter, bounded by Chartres, St Ann, Decatur and St Peter streets and open daily from 8am to 6pm in winter and 8am to 7pm in summer. During French Quarter Festival it holds music stages and food booths, with bag checks at the entrances and no outside food, drink, coolers or glass. Parking is hard during the festival, so the streetcar, the Algiers ferry or a Blue Bike are the easier ways in.
Before you go
- Capacity
- 2.5 acres; over 2 million visitors a year
- Indoor or outdoor
- Outdoor: a 2.5-acre public park square
- Official site
- nola.gov
- Next festival here
- French Quarter Festival, Expected April 2027
Worth knowing before you go
- The square closes at 6pm in winter and 7pm in summer.
- At French Quarter Festival outside food and drink, coolers, glass, pets and weapons are banned and bags are checked at the square.
- Festival parking is difficult and the organisers say to arrive early; the lots at 500 Decatur Street, 300 North Peters Street and the French Market are the nearest suggested.
- The festival is cashless, so bring a card for the food booths.
- Permitted ceremonies in the square get no amplified music and must stay on the paved portions.
Festivals here
Venue basics: Open 8am to 6pm winter, 8am to 7pm summer · Free French Quarter Festival stages here · Bag checks; no coolers or outside food.
Is it for you
Choose it if
- You want free live music in the middle of the French Quarter.
- You are arriving by streetcar, ferry or bike and want to walk between stages.
Think twice if
- You want to bring your own picnic or cooler: neither is allowed inside the festival gates.
- You need to park close by: festival parking is difficult.
- You are planning to camp: we don't yet have confirmed information about camping here.
Getting there and parking
Jackson Square is bounded by Chartres Street, St. Ann Street, Decatur Street and St. Peter Street in the French Quarter. It is open seven days a week, 8am to 6pm in winter and 8am to 7pm during Daylight Saving Time.
Festival-specific · French Quarter FestivalParking is difficult and the festival advises arriving early; suggested lots include French Market, 500 Decatur Street, 300 North Peters Street, 211 Conti Street and Canal Place, with more paid lots within walking distance. Streetcar lines including the Riverfront/UPT line stop near the festival, a passenger ferry from Algiers Point lands at the foot of Canal Street next to a festival entrance, and Blue Bikes bikeshare stations ring the Quarter.
Accessibility
Festival-specific · French Quarter FestivalThe festival publishes an Accessibility Plan covering accessible viewing areas, bathroom locations and recommended pathways, and the same details are available at the Information Booths on site.
Confirm your specific needs with the venue before you travel (nola.gov).
Camping
We don't yet have confirmed information about camping at Jackson Square. The venue's own pages are the place to check: nola.gov.
Food, water and what you can bring
Festival-specific · French Quarter FestivalJackson Square is one of the festival's culinary booth sites, and the festival is cashless with every booth taking cards and digital payments. Bags are checked at the square and other major sites; outside food and drink, coolers and ice chests, glass bottles, weapons, pets and drugs are banned inside the festival gates, with prescription medication, baby formula and milk exempt pending inspection.
Sound and sensory
For permitted ceremonies in the square the city allows no amplified music, only a small 3 to 4 piece ensemble, and only the paved portions of the square may be used.
Quick answers
What are Jackson Square's opening hours?
8am to 6pm in winter and 8am to 7pm during Daylight Saving Time, seven days a week.
Is there parking at Jackson Square for French Quarter Festival?
Not at the square. Parking is difficult and the festival advises arriving early; the nearest suggested lots are French Market, 500 Decatur Street, 300 North Peters Street, 211 Conti Street and Canal Place.
Can I bring a cooler or my own drinks to French Quarter Festival at Jackson Square?
No. Outside food and drink, coolers, ice chests and glass bottles are banned inside the festival gates, and bags are checked at Jackson Square.
Is Jackson Square wheelchair accessible during French Quarter Festival?
The festival publishes an Accessibility Plan with accessible viewing areas, bathroom locations and recommended pathways, also available at the on-site Information Booths.
Can I camp at Jackson Square?
We don't yet have confirmed information about camping at Jackson Square. The city's parks pages at nola.gov are the place to check.
How do I get to Jackson Square without a car?
Streetcar lines including the Riverfront/UPT line stop near the festival, the passenger ferry from Algiers Point lands at the foot of Canal Street next to a festival entrance, and Blue Bikes stations ring the Quarter.
Is French Quarter Festival at Jackson Square free?
Yes. The festival is free to attend, with music stages and food booths in Jackson Square, open 11am to 8pm each day.
A little history
Also known as the Place d'Armes, the square became a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and draws more than 2 million visitors a year. In 2012 the American Planning Association named it one of its Great Places in America.
French Quarter Festival, a free four-day local music showcase, puts music stages and food booths in the square each April. The 2026 festival runs Thursday April 16 to Sunday April 19, 11am to 8pm daily, with stages opening progressively across Thursday and Friday.