
After a challenging couple of years, we could all use some family-friendly festivities to celebrate fall and Halloween, right?
For that reason, we’ve put together two handy lists — one contains Halloween events and activities, the other is all about pumpkin patches and fall festivals, both in New Orleans and on the Northshore.
From parades to trick-or-treating to fancy teas to — there’s so much to choose from. (And we’ll continue to add events as organizers solidify and release their plans.) Get ready to fill those calendars with tons of fun!
Note: Be sure to check each event’s link for any special ticketing or other covid precautions.
***HALLOWEEN FUN***
Lakeside Shopping Center Mall-O-Ween, Monster Train & Fall Photos (Metairie)
October 1-31. Frankie’s Flying Monster Train will open Oct. 1- 31 – $2/ride, cash only. Fall photos will open Oct. 16-31 – Photo Appointments will be available, but walk-ups are welcomed. Mall-o-Ween will take place on Oct. 31 from 10am-Noon. It will be a ticketed event. $50/family of 5 people. Tickets go on sale Oct. 11th. Family Pass for $50 includes: Up to 5 family members per family pass, children under 1 are free; $10 food court voucher to Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers. The voucher includes a Chicken Finger Box Combo with a regular drink and extra toast; A train ride voucher for all children in your party on Frankie’s Flying Monster Train; One 5” x 7’ Fall family photo from Welliver Photography; New Orleans Mom swag bag filled with goodies; Unlimited, safe Trick-or-Treating
The Grand Theatre’s Festival of Fright (Slidell)
Now thru Halloween, Fridays-Sundays. The Grand Theatre has scheduled a bunch of scary — and some not so scary — movies to celebrate the spooky season. Oct 1-3 – Get Out; Oct 8-10 – E.T.; Oct 15-17 – Shaun of the Dead; Oct 22-24 – Vertigo; Oct 29-31 – The Shining.
Peek-a-Boo at the Zoo (New Orleans)
October 20-24 from 10am – 5pm. Peek-a-Boo at the Zoo will be held during regular Zoo hours, this daytime celebration will provide fun for the whole family and some of your favorite Audubon Zoo animals too, ensuring your experience is filled with spooktacular memories. To add to the excitement, Peek-a-Boo at the Zoo guests are invited to wear their favorite costume as they partake in the festivities.
Windsor Court Hotel Halloween Tea (New Orleans)
October 23 &. 24 from 11am – 2pm. Le Salon at Windsor Court Hotel gets spooky as costumed characters take over this kid-friendly tea during the Halloween Tea. This year’s theme is Maleficent. Guests will see Maleficent herself parade around Le Salon to greet tables and lead a sing-along with story time. On-theme desserts and specialty cocktails will be featured to accompany the decadent afternoon with the finest teas, teatime treats and legendary cocktails. Costumes are encouraged. Reservations are available by calling 504.596.4773 or by scheduling online at Halloween costumes are encouraged.
Spooky Drive-In Movie (Luling)
October 23 at 7pm. Lafon Arts Center invites families to enjoy two spooktacular movies – “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” and the original “Ghostbusters” – from the safety and comfort of your car. Dinner is also available.
Krewe of Boo Parade (New Orleans)
October 23 at 6:30pm. New Orleans’ Official Halloween Parade starts in the Marigny, rolls through the French Quarter and ends in the Warehouse District for the Monster Mash costume party. It features Halloween themed floats with over 500 riders tossing local goodies, 30 marching groups, and costume fun.
Boo Carré Halloween Haunt (French Quarter)
October 23 from 10-10:30am. This free annual event in the French Market District will feature trick-or-treating, live music, kids’ activities, and more. Costumes encouraged for all ages.
Nightmare on Columbia (Covington)
October 23 from 5-9:30pm. Costumes and revelry will abound as patrons fill the streets of Downtown Covington strolling from business to business to sample 20+ craft cocktails, and vote for their favorites! Music and entertainment will take place in the streets and at local establishments. Stroll patrons can also choose to participate in a costume contest, where cash prizes will be awarded for the best single costume ($150) and best group costume ($300; 2+ people). The evening will conclude with a FREE public concert at the Covington Trailhead featuring Tyler Kinchen & The Right Pieces! Food will be available for purchase at the Trailhead during the costume contest and concert.
October 23 from 10am-5pm. This beloved STHS Parenting Center fundraiser held in Bogue Falaya Park features a fun and safe Halloween experience, complete with trick-or-treating, music, cookie decorating, crafts, carnival rides and more.
Trick or Treat Treasure Hunt (City Park)
October 23, 24, 29 & 30. For this 2nd annual Trick or Treat Treasure Hunt by canoe/kayak in City Park, participating families will be given a map to set off on an adventure to find where spooky guards have hidden their candy troves. Costumes are encouraged. All experience levels and ages are welcome. October 23 from 1-6pm, Oct 24 from 2-6pm, Oct 29 from 3:30-6pm, and Oct 30 from 1-6pm.
HALLOWEEN Concert at St. Alphonsus Church (New Orleans)
October 26 from 7-8:30pm. Join the Electric Yat Quartet for an evening of spooky music by Danny Elfman, John Williams, Michael Jackson, Camille Saint-Saens, Modest Mussorgsky, Dimitri Shostakovich, and more in an intimate setting, beautiful surroundings, and amazing acoustics inside historic St. Alphonsus Church in the heart New Orleans’ Irish Channel.
NORD Drive Thru Halloween (Multiple Locations New Orleans)
October 29 from 6-8pm. New Orleans Recreation Development Commission is hosting its annual Halloween celebration as a drive-thru party with spooky decorations and, of course, trick or treat candy for the kids. Three locations: Cut-Off, Joe W. Brown, & Lafitte Greenway.
Columbia Street Halloween Block Party (Covington)
October 29 from 6-9pm. This free family event in Covington’s historic St. John District features classic cars trick or treating, a pumpkin carving contest, plus a DJ and live music, and other activities. Costuming is encouraged for all ages.
CMST Boo Bash on the Lawn (Mandeville)
October 30 from 10am-noon. The Children’s Museum of St. Tammany is celebrating Halloween with an event featuring games, trick-or-treating, and more. Costumes encouraged.
Longue Vue Fall Fest & Trick or Treating (Metairie)
October 30 from 3-5pm. Longue Vue Gardens is hosting this festive fall evening, featuring trick-or-treating, crafts, and activities.
Ritz Carlton Ghouls and Goblins Tea (French Quarter)
October 30 & 31, 11am & 2:30pm seatings. Children will enjoy festive holiday themed snacks in The French Quarter Balcony. $55 for kids 12 and under. $75 for adults, includes Champagne. For reservations, call 504-670-2828 or email GRPRCNewOrleansRestaurantReservations@marriott.com.
Howl-a-Ween Pet Adoption & Fundraiser (Mandeville)
October 30 from noon-3pm. Mortgage Gumbo is hosting their 2nd annual Help-a-Hound Pet Adoption & Fundraiser to benefit our homeless animals. This year will be a Howl-a-Ween themed event including free food and drinks, costume contests for pets, door prizes and kids activities. There will be lots of adoptable dogs from our rescue on-site looking for their forever homes and all proceeds benefit our no-kill shelter.
St. Anselm Family Fun Day & Pumpkin Patch (Madisonville)
October 31, 11am until 3pm. This free, festive annual event features trick or treating, food, bounce houses, games, a costume contest, and more.
***FALL FUN***
Mrs. Heather’s Pumpkin Patch (Hammond)
September 26 – November 8. This fall, adults are admitted free, while a fee of $8 (cash only) allows kids to pick their own pumpkin from the huge field, and to enjoy a whole lot of fun activities, including a zip line, jumping pillow, tunnel slide, face painting, duck racing, hay maze, nature trail, and lots more.
St. Martin’s Episcopal Church Pumpkin Patch (Metairie)
Now through Halloween. There’s no fee to enter the patch, which contains a large variety of specialty pumpkins and gourds. Hours are Monday-Friday 3-6pm. Saturday/Sunday 10am-6:30pm. On Friday, October 15 and Sunday, October 17 from 11am-5pm, Red M Studio will be taking free photos for patch visitors who bring canned goods or financial donation for Second Harvest Food Bank.
Barn Hill Preserve Pumpkin Patch (Ethel)
Weekends, October 2 – November 21 from 9am-3pm. Highlights of this event, held on Saturdays & Sundays, include kangaroo encounters, animal shows, a corn pit, wagon rides, pumpkins, fall games, sloth encounters (extra charge), and more. Tickets will be available to purchase at the door.
Oktoberfest at Middendorf’s (Slidell & Manchac)
Wednesdays & Thursdays from October 6 – November 11. Middendorf’s kicks off over a month of authentic German food, music & fun. Menus vary week to week, and festivities will take place every Wednesday & Thursday at both their Manchac and Slidell locations.
NOLA Craft Culture Glitter Pumpkin Patch
October. 16 & 17, 23 & 24. 30 & 31 from 10am – 6pm. Enjoy the seasonal fun of a pumpkin patch but with uniquely New Orleans style at NOLA Craft Culture’s GLITTER PUMPKIN PATCH. Free admission, photo ops and glittered decor and craft supplies for sale.
Painted Pumpkin Patch Decorating Contest (Metairie)
October 16 – 29. Lakeside Shopping Center, in partnership with Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, will host the 2021 Painted Pumpkin Patch Decorating Contest. The contest supports the fine arts departments of local high schools by awarding 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners with a monetary donation to their fine arts departments. Winners announced at the Lakeside Mall-o-Ween event on October 31.
Cajun Country Corn Maze (Pine Grove)
October 17 – November 8. Highlights of this annual event include the 7.5-acre corn maze, pig races, animal petting area, slides, the spider web crawl, cow train, hay ride, jumping pillow, zombie paintball, and LOTS more. Haunted and non-haunted options available. Hours: Friday 5-11pm (with haunting beginning at dusk dark); Saturday 9am-11pm (with haunting beginning at dusk dark); Sunday 11am-6pm.
Sugar Roots Farm Fall Festival (West Bank)
October 23-24 from 10am-4pm. This year’s fall fundraising event features music, crafts, pumpkins, and friendly animals to pet. Children 3 & under are free. Time slots are available via SignUp Genius (see link). Tickets cover admission only. Horse rides, pumpkins, and farmstand goods sold separately.
Abita Fall Fest After Dark (Abita Springs)
November 5 from 5-10pm. When the sun sets to sleep and the moon comes out to play, Fall Fest After Dark comes out to party. A pre-fest party with live music, food — thanks to Copeland’s Mobile Kitchen — and drinks, will be held the night before fest day, Friday, November 5, 2021 from 5:00 to 10:00 pm. Taking the Main Stage at the beginning of the night is the Rayo Brothers from 7:00 to 8:00 pm. And, to end the night with some funk, Big Sam’s Funky Nation will perform from 8:30 to 10:00 pm.
Destrehan Plantation 49th Annual Fall Festival (Destrehan)
November 13 & 14 at 9am – 4pm. Destrehan Plantation’s 49th Annual Fall Festival features craft vendors, antiques, live entertainment, cajun and creole food, and house tours.
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