NEW ORLEANS –The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) welcomes the 2026 Essence Festival of Culture to the Crescent City and encourages festivalgoers to take advantage of public transit as a convenient and affordable way to travel throughout the holiday weekend.

Whether you're traveling to the Caesars Superdome, the French Quarter, the Riverfront, or other destinations across the city, RTA's buses, streetcars, and ferries can get you where you need to go.

Purchase Transit Passes

Riders can purchase fares by downloading the Le Pass mobile app or by visiting one of the following downtown retail locations: 

• Walgreens – 801 Canal Street
• Walgreens – 900 Canal Street
• Walgreens – 134 Royal Street
• Unique Grocery – 129 Royal Street 

Also, RTA will operate a mobile ticket station at the intersection of Canal Street and Carondelet Street throughout the Essence Festival weekend from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., where riders can buy transit passes and receive help.

Fare Information

• 1-Day Jazzy Pass: $3
• 3-Day Jazzy Pass: $8

Thousands of residents and visitors travel throughout the city during the Essence Festival of Culture and Independence Day holiday weekend, so riders should expect increased passenger volumes, longer-than-usual wait times, and periodic service delays. To better serve customers, added RTA personnel will be deployed at key downtown transit locations throughout the weekend to provide rider assistance and travel information.

More information about transit services during the Essence Festival of Culture can be found on our website at norta.com/Essence. Riders are also encouraged to download the Le Pass app, visit norta.com, or contact the RTA Rideline at 504-248-3900 for up-to-the-minute alerts.

###    

The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority is a sub-division of the State of Louisiana which is operated by an independent Board of Commissioners that serves Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Bernard Parishes. The agency operates car and passenger ferries, fixed-route buses, Paratransit, and streetcar services.