FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts:
Rob Wilbanks/Sarah Forman, NOCVB
504-566-5019
rwilbanks@neworleanscvb.com, sforman@neworleanscvb.com

NEW ORLEANS - September 24, 2013 - New Orleans is often referred to as "America's most haunted city."  Why, you ask? New Orleans psychic medium Cari Roy says it's a "paranormal gumbo" of reasons, which includes the city's age, its religious and spiritual history, and the number of historic events and larger-than-life personalities which were concentrated in a relatively small space.

"This is why so many supernatural enthusiasts are drawn here. The odds of experiencing a paranormal encounter are far greater in New Orleans than in any other part of the world," says Roy. "I have seen many skeptics turn true believers because of something they felt while staying in one of our hotels or wandering through our cemeteries."

New Orleans has plenty of attractions and events for Halloween tourists.  Here are five that will haunt and delight visitors of all ages:

  • Boo at the Zoo (Oct. 18, 19, 25, 26): Audubon Zoo offers a safe, fun-filled Halloween event for children up to age 12, featuring trick-or-treat houses with candy, a Ghost Train, a haunted house (scary and non-scary), games with prizes, entertainment and more.
  • Haunted Tours (year round): Specters of the city's long and storied past are believed to still dwell in the many old buildings and graveyards of the Crescent City. On dark, moonless nights in the French Quarter and the Garden District you can almost see and feel them. To experience these paranormal nocturnal phenomena, a number of walking tours are offered by experienced guides.
  • Halloween New Orleans (Oct. 24 - 27): Experience Halloween Gay New Orleans style with this weekend-long extravaganza, including a costume contest, second line and brunch.
  • 25th Annual Vampire Ball (October 25): Thrown by the official Anne Rice Vampire Lestat Fan Club, this year will be a special treat as the author herself has announced plans to attend!
  • Krewe of Boo (Oct. 26): Throw me something, Monster! Experience the official Halloween parade in the heart of New Orleans French Quarter, followed by "Spook Fest," a wild and scary affair inside Mardi Gras World with live music and much more-costumes are a must!


More information about these and many of the haunted activities in New Orleans is available at www.neworleanscvb.com/halloween.

So this Halloween, come on down to New Orleans, America's most haunted city. Who knows...you may just be greeted by one of our ghostly counterparts. Don't look for them, they'll find you!

The New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau is a nationally accredited, 1,000-member destination marketing organization and the largest and most successful private economic development corporation in Louisiana. The CVB and its members influence thousands of decision-makers and millions of visitors to choose New Orleans through direct sales, marketing, public relations, branding and visitor services at our New Orleans headquarters and offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago, Phoenix, Frankfurt, London, Paris and Toronto. Consistently recognized as one of the top five CVBs in the country, the New Orleans CVB celebrates its 53rd anniversary in 2013. For more information, please visit www.neworleanscvb.com, www.facebook.com/neworleanscvb and www.twitter.com/neworleans.

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