Alumnus Spreads the Word About Jazz Fest

Long before festival enthusiasts begin packing their sunscreen and bottled water, Tulane alumnus Matthew Goldman is at work prepping promotional information about the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, which opens on Friday (April 29). As press and advertising director at Festival Productions, Goldman is working much of the year as a spokesman for the internationally acclaimed event.

Getting ready for Friday's (April 29) opening of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival means a lot of work for Tulane alumnus Matthew Goldman, but he says, “We love what we do.” (Photo by Sally Asher)

This year's festival takes place April 29–May 1 and May 5–8 at the Fairgrounds Race Course.

“Whether you are from here or a transplant here, it's not long before you realize that New Orleans is going to be different from anywhere you go,” says Goldman, who hails from Cherry Hill, N.J. “The culture, the music, the food and the attitude have a way of latching onto you.”

Like many Tulane students, when Goldman arrived in New Orleans he fell in love with the culture and made the Crescent City his home. Soon after graduating, he was introduced to large-event planning through his work on the organizing committee of the 1992 Olympic trials held in the city. A volunteer gig with the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival would help him secure a position a year later with Festival Productions, and he's been there ever since.

“A lot of the staff have been here for so many years that it isn't just a job,” says Goldman, a 1990 Tulane graduate. “We love what we do.”

Festival Productions organizes the New Orleans Jazz Fest on behalf of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation. The foundation hosts events all year long in the areas of education, economic development and culture.