Photograph via Frenchquarter.com
On October 12th, I stepped outside to find construction workers painting the house next door a pale blue and nailing a large sign into the ground announcing the grand opening of Reverie, with a barcode to buy tickets to their opening event on the 31st. Although Reverie is a new restaurant, the sign says their grand opening will include food, beverages, and a “vampire opera.” I thought, only in New Orleans, on a scorching hot October Monday, would a “Vampire Opera” be announced directly outside my door.
Beyond being one of the most dangerous cities in America, New Orleans has many spooky things that make it the perfect backdrop for Halloween. As my favorite holiday, Halloween is my chance to tell you how to spend it. Only six days remain until it’s time to throw on a costume that’s funny, creative, or maybe a few sizes too small and hit the town, so here are six things I think are worth your while.
Freshman year, I became friends with my now-roommate because she was the only person I could convince to come with me to this haunted house. Since then, we have gone every single year. Nightmare is not just a haunted house. They also offer mini escape games and bars if you need some liquid courage. The house is full of jump scares and takes about 15-20 minutes to walk through… if you make it out alive.
While this suggestion isn’t exclusively Halloween-related, Le Bon Temps Roule and Maple Leaf Bar are two fantastic options if you’re in the mood to see live music in costume. Every Thursday night, Le Bon Temps Roule offers smooth jazz on Magazine Street. If you aren’t a jazz fan or want something more upbeat and rock-focused, Bloodkin is playing all weekend at Maple Street Bar.
3. Bourbon Street Costume Watching
My friend and I decided to dress up as Bourbon Street for one of our costumes, so we obviously had to go at 2:00 p.m. on a Thursday to prepare. While shopping for beads, boas, and daiquiri cups, we were in awe of everyone’s costumes. We walked past everything from groups of witches to monsters on stilts. If costumes are that good at 2:00 p.m. on a weekday before Halloween, imagine what this week will bring. If you have some time to kill, kill it on Bourbon Street.
Photograph via Krewe De Boo
4. Pumpkin Patch at Andrew’s Episcopal
If you like adorable kids, puppies, and pumpkins, this is the activity for you. If you don’t, there might be something wrong with you. The pumpkin patch is the perfect, wholesome Halloween activity.
5. Painting Pumpkins
Now that you’ve gone to the pumpkin patch and purchased one of the mini pumpkins because carving them sounded like too much work, it’s time to get crafty. The weather next week is sunny and 75, so get outside with a paintbrush, soak up the sun, and paint something awful.
6. Frenchmen Street on Halloween
As a senior, I’m embarrassed to admit that I have never gone to Frenchmen Street on Halloween, but this year we are changing that. The famous street turns into a huge block party with unspoken competition for who has the best costume. If you’re willing to sacrifice seeing Fisher at Hellz Gala with all of the freshmen, Frenchmen is your safest bet.
Photograph via Frenchmanstreet.com
Tricked? Let’s throw in one more treat, just in case. My roommates and I went to Escape My Room New Orleans and successfully escaped the “Jazz Parlor” room. From the entrance to the staff, location, and rooms, everything is spooky and will definitely get you in the Halloween spirit.
Honorable mentions: The Skeleton House, The Vampire Cafe, French Quarter ghost tour, Freret Street Fall Festival, New Orleans cemetery tours.
I hope you enjoy these Halloween experiences as much as I have over my 4 falls at Tulane. Happy Halloween!
