Yesterday afternoon, the lineup for this year’s 50th annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival was revealed, confirming the rumors of headliners The Rolling Stones and announcing an array of local Louisiana acts and national touring artists. Longtime producer Quint Davis spoke with The New Orleans Advocate about the expansive anniversary lineup, including the process of bringing in the Stones and some specific plans for scheduling and artist collaborations throughout the festival’s two weekends.

“The biggest band in the world has accepted playing Jazz Fest on Jazz Fest’s terms, on a stage under a tent (canopy), in the daytime, with no lights,” Davis says of the Stones, noting that their inclusion in this year’s lineup opens the door for more huge acts to play Jazz Fest in the future. “It says something about them, but it also says a lot about the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. I don’t know that we’ll dial up something every year — it took us 50 years to get the Rolling Stones. But it’s an established scenario. We’ll be able to get anybody at this point.”

Davis also says that about 600 of the approximately 688 artists playing Jazz Fest 2019 are from Louisiana, a nod to the festival’s dedication to its roots and celebration of 50 years of the legendary gathering. Several of the bigger non-local artists also have histories with the festival, like Dave Matthews Band, Bonnie Raitt, Van Morrison, Jimmy Buffett and Santana.

Davis gets into some of the planned collaborations throughout the festival, including a tribute to Ellis Marsalis by his sons Wynton, Branford and Delfeayo, and a festival-closing set from “Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue with Nevilles.” Davis says that the Nevilles will at least include singer Aaron Neville, who used to close out the festival with The Neville Brothers for years. Orleans Avenue closed out last year’s fest with special guests Cyril and Ivan Neville. Ivan will also be playing with his NOLA-based group Dumpstaphunk on the same day as The Rolling Stones’ headlining slot—which Davis says isn’t a coincidence, as Ivan has played with Stones guitarist Keith Richards in his X-Pensive Winos in the past.

Jazz Fest 2019 is set for April 25–28 and May 2–5. All festival information can be found here.