Supporting 140 musicians, local storytelling this Louisiana festival season

This April, Airbnb is sponsoring nearly 140 musicians at the French Quarter Festival and underwriting local broadcast coverage of the 40th annual Festival International de Louisiane through Acadiana Open Channel. Airbnb is also the presenting sponsor of Hope Fest and the Spring Build Day hosted by unCommon Construction, supporting emergency housing and workforce development in New Orleans.

Together, these sponsorships reflect our continued commitment to the culture bearers, artists, hosts, and community organizations that make Louisiana's festival season possible.

Supporting local artists at the French Quarter Festival

Airbnb is proud to support the French Quarter Festival, a free, four-day celebration of Louisiana music, food, and culture held from April 16-19. As a 2026 Music Performance sponsor of the Festival, Airbnb is supporting 21 musical acts across nine stages, reaching nearly 140 local musicians.

This support helps ensure the festival remains free and accessible for all. Some of the artists and bands supported include ANTWIGADEE!, The Soul Rebels, and The Original Pinettes Brass Band-New Orleans only all-female brass band.

Guests travel from across the country to enjoy the French Quarter Festival, with New York, Atlanta, and Seattle among the top origin areas for Airbnb guests during the Festival this year.

Local hosts help support this surge in guests during New Orleans' festival season, while dispersing the benefits of tourism across the city. Searches for stays in New Orleans during the French Quarter Festival are up nearly 50 percent compared to the same period last year.¹

Bringing Lafayette's culture to the world

The Festival International de Louisiane brings musical acts from regions ranging from Jamaica to Scotland, all the way to Acadiana, for a free, five-day celebration from April 22-26. This year, Airbnb is helping bring the 40th annual Festival International to an even wider audience by underwriting local coverage of the event through Acadiana Open Channel, a nonprofit public access television network.

Many of the top cities of origin for Airbnb guests during the Festival International are within Louisiana, including East Baton Rouge Parish, New Orleans, St. Tammany Parish, and Shreveport, underscoring how the festival brings music from around the world to Louisiana locals.²

"Festival International is ecstatic to have Airbnb behind our non-profit's cultural celebration this year. From supporting artists, to partnering with AOC's community media program-it means a lot to welcome Airbnb into our village."

Candace Gulotta-Gaubert, Festival International Sponsorship & Development Director

Investing in New Orleans families and the next generation of builders

These community investments go beyond music and festivals. Earlier this month, Airbnb served as the presenting sponsor of Hope Fest, the annual benefit event for Hotel Hope, a nonprofit organization that provides safe emergency housing and support to women and children in New Orleans.

Airbnb also sponsored the Spring Build Day hosted by unCommon Construction, a New Orleans nonprofit that trains young apprentices in the building trades while adding to the city's housing supply. Host volunteers worked side-by-side with apprentices and community members on a job site in New Orleans on April 11, putting time and resources into strengthening the city from the ground up.

Hosts help Louisiana welcome the world

Festival season is one of the most important economic moments of the year for New Orleans, and hosts play a central role in making it possible.

The typical New Orleans host earned an estimated $17,000 in 2025,³ income that helps residents manage rising costs of living and stay in the homes and neighborhoods they love.

Airbnb also collected and remitted more than $23 million in tourism taxes in New Orleans in 2025 on behalf of hosts, and over $131 million to date, contributions that flow back into the city's public services and infrastructure.

Across Louisiana, travel on Airbnb helped generate nearly $850 million in 2025, including:

• Almost 11,500 jobs supported by guest spending;
• Nearly $470 million in labor income; and
• More than $240 million in total tax revenue.