How Jazz Fest Turned Sun Safety into Sustainability

A Festival That Shined in More Ways Than One

At this year’s Jazz Fest, music wasn’t the only thing lighting up the crowd, the sun was too. Thanks to Vital Signs Media’s sunscreen kiosks and Jazz Fest healthcare sponsor, Ochsner Health, festival-goers stayed protected while helping reduce plastic waste and promote a cleaner, healthier event experience.

The Numbers Tell the Story

Vital Signs Media’s public sunscreen dispensers provided over 5,722.33 fluid ounces of SPF 50 sunscreen. The equivalent of 5,722 single-use bottles that never had to be produced or thrown away. That’s an estimated 148 pounds of plastic waste prevented from entering our environment, all while protecting thousands of guests from harmful UV exposure. In 2024 Jazz Fest had 8 kiosks with an average of 3,698 dispensations per kiosk and in 2025 Jazz Fest had 12 kiosks with 7,2312 dispensations per kiosk. In 2025 alone Vital Signs Media kiosks had a total of 86,780 dispensations.

Sustainability Meets Sponsorship

Each sunscreen kiosk was powered by local brand sponsorships, meaning the service remained free to the public and cost-neutral to event organizers. Sponsors gained positive exposure through branded kiosks that promoted both wellness and environmental responsibility. A perfect example of how advertising can do good.

Health, Happiness, and Harmony

Beyond sustainability, our sunscreen kiosks helped limit the risk of sunburn and skin cancer, providing broad-spectrum SPF 50 protection at key areas across the festival grounds. It’s a small step that makes a major impact by keeping attendees comfortable, healthy, and ready to enjoy the music.

The Takeaway

Jazz Fest and its healthcare partner, Ochsner, proved what’s possible when events care for both their people and the planet. By combining sponsor-funded sunscreen stations with eco-conscious design, Vital Signs Media helped create a festival experience that’s smarter, safer, and more sustainable and this is just the beginning.