Halloween Events in New Orleans

Kick off the spookiest month of the year with a haunted tour through the French Quarter! Learn the legends of ghosts and the paranormal through a walking history tour that stops at various landmarks. Or learn about vampires and the supernatural, particularly the Casket Girls, with a trip to the Old Ursuline Convent. Another option includes learning of Marie Laveau's legacy as a voodoo priestess with a voodoo history of New Orleans tour. 

Best part about New Orleans is that wearing costumes is a regular occasion, not just on Halloween! If you're looking for the perfect costume or accessory to complete your look, look no further than these costume shops. Fifi Mahony's is your go-to shop for wigs, while Uptown Costume and Dancewear is a great place for costume rentals. Both vintage and thrift shops are great places to look for a Halloween costume as well, many of which you can find on Magazine Street.

Between the costumes and candy, Halloween is the perfect holiday for both kids and the young at heart. New Orleans has plenty of fun, family-friendly events celebrating the season. Enjoy live music, kid’s activities, and trick-or-treating in the French Quarter at Boo Carre. Ghosts in the Oaks is another great family-friendly event, held in New Orleans City Park. Then there's Boo at the Zoo, bringing the little ones family fun at Audubon Zoo! Bring the family to see the spook-tacular spectacle that is Krewe of Boo, the city’s premier Halloween parade. Children (and people of all ages) will delight in visiting The Skeleton House (6000 St. Charles Avenue), a real residence which is annually decorated by skeletons with funny captions in the front yard!

Though there are plenty of events for all ages during spooky month in New Orleans, sometimes you want to enjoy an adults-only celebration. Check out Brews + Boos at New Orleans City Park, a 21+ party complete with unlimited amusement park rides and free beer. Or take a Halloween Bar Crawl through the French Quarter. Check out our section on LGBTQ Halloween New Orleans for more adults-only events.

The city’s LGBTQ community is also out in full regalia for Halloween, and you can join in the fun at any time during the evening. Halloween New Orleans throws a weekend-long party every year and the benefits go to Project Lazarus, a home in New Orleans for people living with AIDS. You’ll find most of the action on Bourbon and St. Ann streets in the heart of the Quarter. Elaborate costumes, exciting galas, drinking, and dancing with friends are all hallmarks of this festive celebration.

For those looking for an extra thrill, New Orleans has its share of haunted houses open for Halloween, such as the Mortuary and New Orleans Nightmare. These haunted houses are known for providing lots of thrills and typically open up in September, so you can enjoy it more than once during spooky season! These haunted houses are typically not recommend for children under age 12.