Complaints about cashless payments during first day of Jazz Fest

FESTS HAVING A GOOD TIME. HOW IS IT RIGHT NOW. I LOVE BEING AT THE FESTIVALS. CAN YOU TELL DARRELL I MEAN, THE GATES HERE OPENED UP AT 11 A.M., BUT ALREADY WE’RE SEEING A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING THROUGH TONIGHT. AS WE KNOW, THIS IS HITTING THE STAGE. SOME OF THE PEOPLE I’VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH, THEY TELL ME THAT THEY’VE BEEN CAMPING OUT FOR HOURS JUST TO SEE HER. CAN YOU IMAGINE? I’M JUST GOING TO GIVE YOU A LOOK AT HOW THINGS ARE LOOKING RIGHT NOW. TAKE A LOOK AT THE CROWDS WE’RE SEEING SO FAR. THEY’RE DEFINITELY GROWING THE GATES HAVE ONLY BEEN OPEN FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. AS I SAID EARLIER ON THE STAGE RIGHT NOW, NEW ORLEANS OWN CARS MAY ONE OF THE OPENING ACTS TODAY. ONE THING THAT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, DARRELL, THIS IS THE FIRST EVER CASHLESS JAZZ FEST. ONLY CARDS WILL BE ACCEPTED. SO PLEASE PREPARE FOR THAT. ALSO, PREPARE FOR THE TRAFFIC IN THIS AREA. AND THEN ALSO THE LONG LINES. I CAN ALREADY SMELL THE AMAZING FOOD BEING PREPARED AS WE SPEAK. I KNOW IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC, BUT THE FOOD HERE IS DEFINITELY WHAT MAKES JAZZ FEST WHAT IT IS. AND THAT’S WHY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE COME DOWN EVERY YEAR TO TAKE IN THE CITY’S LARGE. FESTIVAL. $400 MILLION IMPACT. DARRELL I’M GOING TO SEE IF I CAN FIND SOME FOOD AND SOME PEOPLE TO SPEAK WITH. I’M GOING TO SEE IF I CAN DANCE A LITTLE BIT, TOO, AND I’M GOING TO GET BACK WITH YOU ALL AT 4 P.M. REPORTING LIVE FROM THE FAIRGROUNDS, SHAY O’CONNOR, WDSU NEWS. HEY, I AM JEALOUS. SHAY O’CONNOR. HAVE A GOOD TIME. DON’T. DON’T HAVE TOO MUCH OF A GOOD TIME OUT THERE TO ALWAYS SEE YOU OUT THERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, SHAY. WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE AT 4:00. AND ALONG WITH YOUR CASH, HERE’S SOME OTHER THINGS YOU SHOULD LEAVE AT YOUR HOME THIS YEAR. HARD SIDED COOLERS AND NO DRINKS OTHER THAN SEALED WATER BOTTLES ARE ALLOWED. DON’T BRING WAGONS, TENTS, CANOPIES, BIKES OR SKATEBOARDS. ALSO, NO PETS ARE ALLOWED INSIDE THE FAIRGROUNDS, BUT YOU CAN BRING SOFT COOLERS NO BIGGER THAN A 12 PACK. COLLAPSIBLE CHAIRS, SMALL BLANKETS AND TARPS, ALONG WITH WHEELCHAIRS, MEDICAL SCOOTERS AND FULLY TRAINED SERVICE ANIMALS. FOR A CLOSER LOOK AT ALL THINGS

Complaints about cashless payments during first day of Jazz Fest

Sunshine and blue skies for the first day of jazz Fest, but payment problems had many singing the blue

Updated: 8:08 PM CDT Apr 28, 2023

On Friday, the first day of the 2023 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival kicked off.Fest-goers were treated to sunshine and blue skies. However, the newly implemented cashless payment system had many people singing the blues.People who spoke with WDSU said lines remained long for food and drinks due to the slow checkout process. Many reported this was at vendors across festival grounds.WDSU is still waiting on a response from festival organizers.

NEW ORLEANS —

On Friday, the first day of the 2023 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival kicked off.

Fest-goers were treated to sunshine and blue skies. However, the newly implemented cashless payment system had many people singing the blues.

People who spoke with WDSU said lines remained long for food and drinks due to the slow checkout process. Many reported this was at vendors across festival grounds.

WDSU is still waiting on a response from festival organizers.