Halloween in New Orleans, the Most Haunted City in America

Image: PHOTO: French Quarter, downtown New Orleans. (photo via f11photo/iStock/Getty Images Plus) (f11photo / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Image: PHOTO: French Quarter, downtown New Orleans. (photo via f11photo/iStock/Getty Images Plus) (f11photo / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Patrick Clarke
by Patrick Clarke
Last updated: 8:00 PM ET, Tue October 2, 2018

After Mardi Gras, Halloween is arguably the next best time of year to experience New Orleans.

What's more, 2018 promises to be better than ever as the Big Easy is in the midst of its year-long Tricentennial celebration.

Widely recognized as the most haunted city in America, New Orleans offers an array of festive activities, attractions and experiences come fall, including haunted tours of some of the city's spookiest stops such as the French Quarter as well as the iconic cemeteries.

There are haunted tours to suit every taste, whether you're in search of ghosts, goblins or even vampires. Learn more about the city's one-of-a-kind history by visiting one of New Orleans' Voodoo shops.

Visitors can also dress the part thanks to the destination's many unique costume shops. Once you've got something picked out you can show it off at one of New Orleans' lively street parties as well as the star-studded Voodoo Music & Arts Experience at City Park.

The three-day festival takes place over the final weekend of October and will feature beloved acts such as Mumford & Sons, Childish Gambino and Arctic Monkeys, among others.

Voodoo Fest coincides with Halloween New Orleans, a popular LGBT celebration taking place in the French Quarter that includes a series of fundraising events like the Lazarus Ball.

Family-friendly Halloween activities and attractions include haunted houses and seasonal events at Audubon Zoo and the Louisiana Children's Museum. Visitors to the former can take part in the annual Boo at the Zoo event featuring trick-or-treat houses, a Ghost Train, a haunted house, games and other entertainment.

Krewe of Boo is another can't-miss event offering something for everyone. This year's free festivities in the French Quarter kick off on October 20 at 6:30 p.m. local time.

Beyond the city's unparalleled Halloween festivities, autumn visitors can look forward to festivals like the 3rd annual Beignet Fest at City Park October 6 and the two-day Country Smooth Fest at NOLA Motorsports Park October 20-21.

Plus, the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) will present The Orléans Collection beginning October 26. The highly-anticipated exhibition will showcase mesmerizing works from institutions such as the National Gallery of London, the J. Paul Getty Museum and the National Gallery of Scotland.

If there was ever a time to experience America's most haunted city, Halloween is it.


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Patrick Clarke

Patrick Clarke

Senior Editor

A Maryland native and wanderer who has lived across the U.S. from North Carolina to SoCal, Patrick Clarke graduated from Towson University with a B.S. in journalism. He previously worked for Bleacher

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