The festival, one of New Orleans' biggest tourist attractions, was founded in 1970 and has been held at the New Orleans Fair Grounds Race Course since 1972. Davis did not rule out holding the festival at the fairgrounds, according to the paper. "We'll be starting from the Fair Grounds and working our way out" until a location is found, he said.

AEG Live, the concert-producing conglomerate that backed the festival in 2005, when it was facing an unprecedented debt, has agreed to continue its support.

The festival has traditionally brought hundreds of acts to the fairgrounds and to clubs all over the city, and includes brass bands, blues, pop, zydeco, world music, gospel, folk, and country music as well as jazz.