The witching season is upon us! While you’re buying all the fun-size Snickers and decorating the yard with ghosts and skeletons – check out all the other activities we found for kids and grown-ups! Some of these are outside of New Orleans, but they were too good not to mention!
Family Events
- October 15-18 Ghosts in the Oaks Get ready for a cosmic mash-up! This year, City Park invites you and your little explorers to an out-of-this-world celebration at Ghosts in the Oaks. Join us for four nights of intergalactic fun featuring an extended trick-or-treat path, unlimited amusement-park rides, stellar activities, and live entertainment.
- October 16-18 Boo at the Zoo Enjoy a family-friendly Halloween tradition featuring Zoo animals, trick-or-treating, festive activities, and plenty of spooktacular memories. Costumes are encouraged!
- October 17 LPO Presents: Halloween Spooktacular Halloween is almost here and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra is celebrating with a family concert the whole krewe can enjoy. Kids are free with an adult ticket!
- October 17 Community Games Day & Fall Fest 2026 Join us for an afternoon of free gardens admission, outdoor games, crafts, the Emma Brown Reading Program, and trick-or-treating at the doors of Longue Vue! Don’t forget to wear your costumes!
- October 24 Trunk or Treat at Lafreniere Park Enjoy trunk or treat at beautiful Lafreniere Park! Tickets are $15 per child and children are encouraged to dress up. There will be decorated trunks, trick or treating, entertainment, and more.
- October 24 Boo Carre Halloween Haunt This one-day kid-centric event encourages costumes for all ages and will feature live music, children’s activities, a spooktacular Spooky Second Line, and trick-or-treating. Children wearing a costume are eligible to receive a free Boo Carre tote bag for trick-or-treating in the French Market District. One bag per child, while supplies last. This event is free and open to the public.
Anyone Events
- October 3 Swampus Returns New Orleans’ Official Sustainability Parade! A haunted swamp brought to life through handmade artistry. Giant puppets and creatures, live performances, and sustainable parade throws!
- October 15-18, 22-25, 29-31 Ghost Manor on Magazine St Ghost Manor is an award-winning haunted attraction like no other. Fully experienced from the outside banquette, you’ll experience flying ghosts, singing skeletons, dancing zombies, and a whole array of other interesting characters frolicking in this most haunted of houses. It has become a favorite of visitors from around the country and the world for its uniquely whimsical parodies of not only well-known Halloween tropes but also other popular entertainment references in music, movies and theatre, thoroughly transformed by the magic of Halloween.
- October 17 Q&A Screening of Interview With The Vampire Krewe of BOO! Grand Marshals Christopher Rice and Eric Shaw Quinn will participate in a special introduction and Q&A celebrating the iconic film and the enduring legacy of Anne Rice’s vampire world.
- October 17-18 New Orleans World Oddities Expo A traveling celebration of all things weird, intriguing, and magically macabre! We’re combining our love of art, history, science and entertainment wrapped into one incredible event!
- October 24 Krewe Of Boo Parade
- October 24 5th Annual Howl-O-Weenie Dress your pup in their best get up for a chance to win fun prizes in 6 different categories, awarded by a panel of *actual* local artists and costume designers who know a good look when they see it. HOWL-O-WEENIE guarantees good times for a GOOD cause (Zeus’ Rescues!) for both friends & fam- plus lots of great photo ops and furry, sometimes slobbery, action!
- October 29 The Rocky Horror Picture Show Watch Barry Bostwick, the original Brad Majors from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, host a live 4K screening with shadow cast performers, audience participation, a costume contest, and rare movie memorabilia on display
- October 29-31 New Orleans Ballet Theatre Presents: Dracula
For the Grown-Ups
- October 10 Mermaids & Mayhem Mermaids and Mayhem rises once more for its 13th annual haunting, summoned from the depths by the Sirens of New Orleans! All net proceeds will support the incredible work of the Beignet Fest Foundation.
- October 23 Fat Cats Ball Grab your favorite ghouls and celebrate the spooky season the best way possible: Dazzling in your finest costume and dancing the night away with an open bar, decadent dishes, phenomenal prizes and more! All event proceeds support Louisiana’s first and only dedicated neonatal and special needs kitty cat rescue.
- October 23-24 Brews and Boos City Park’s adults-only Halloween fundraiser featuring unlimited amusement-park rides, open beer bars, and a VIP Storyland experience complete with full open bar, seating and special treats!
- October 24 Krewe of Boo Monster Mash Following the Krewe of BOO! parade, krewe members and parade-goers join in the after-parade costume party “Monster Mash” featuring costume contests, drink specials, and live entertainment.
- October 29 Halloween 2026 Silent Film & Live Music Experience This Halloween, silent cinema comes alive at the Marigny Opera House. Celebrate Halloween at the Marigny Opera House with an eerie night of silent film and live music. Psychological terror, seductive crime, and surreal imagery collide in a one-night-only Halloween experience inside one of New Orleans’ most atmospheric spaces.
- October 30 Anne Rice Vampire Ball Join us for the thirty-eighth annual Anne Rice Vampire Lestat Fan Club Ball, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Interview with the Vampire.
- October 30 Heaux-Cus Pocus Heaux-cus Pocus is a wickedly funny, high-camp drag parody of Hocus Pocus like you’ve never seen before—New Orleans-style! Join the Sanderson Sisters as they rise from the dead (again) for a night of live singing, fierce drag performances, and hilarious audience interaction.
- October 31 Halloween Bar Crawl Round up your boo crew, show off your costumes, and prepare for a night of creepy cocktails, chills, and unforgettable bar-hopping fun!
Food
- October 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 11, 15, 18, 22, 23, 25, 28, 29, & 30: Kids Halloween Cooking Fun Join Acorn Cafe for a spooktacular Kids Halloween Cooking Class where your little chefs will whip up an assortment of frightfully fun treats to enjoy or take home.
- October 23, 30, & 31: Muriel’s Witches’ Brunch
- October 2& 30: Saint John Witches Brunch
- October 23 & 30: Witches Luncheon at The Bower
- October 31: Witches Riverboat Brunch Cruise Dress in your best witch costume and sip on 3 potion-perfect cocktails while enjoying spooky tunes, photo ops, a Glitter Bar, and scary-good sights. Tickets include your cruise, meal, 3 drinks, and all onboard entertainment.
Runs
- October 24 New Orleans Zombie Run
- October 25 Big Easy Halloween Half Marathon, 10k & 5k
Haunted Houses
- New Orleans Nightmare 319 Butterworth St; GA $25-$35
- The Mortuary 4800 Canal; GA $25-$35
- Bernie Baxter’s Traveling Sideshow October 23-24, 30-31 Bernie Baxter’s Traveling Sideshow is New Orleans’ oldest haunted attraction and the longest-running free haunt in the city.
Pumpkin Patches
- St. Andrews Episcopal Church Opens 9/19 1031 S Carrollton, New Orleans. M-Thurs 3-7pm, Fri 3-8pm Sat 9am-8pm Sun 9am-7pm
- Woodland Church 5825 Berkley Dr, New Orleans. M-F 12-7pm, Sat 9am-5pm
- First Presbyterian Church 5401 S Claiborne, New Orleans. M-F 3pm-Dusk, Sat 10am-Dusk, Sun 1pm-Dusk
- St. Paul’s Episcopal School 6249 Canal, New Orleans. M-Thurs 3:30-6PM, Fri 3-6pm, Sat 10-6pm, Sun 10-5pm (debit or credit card only)
- St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church Opens 9/24 3412 Haring Rd, Metairie. M-Sun 12-8pm
- St. Mark’s Episcopal Church Opens 10/7 3245 Manhattan, Harvey. M-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 1-6pm
- Banting’s Nursery 3425 River Road, Bridge City. Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 9am-4pm (delivery available)
- Mrs. Heather’s Pumpkin Patch Open 9/23 11215 Lee’s Lane, Hammond. M-Sun 9am-5pm (cash only)
Happy Halloween, y’all!