Six Reasons Gays Own Halloween In New Orleans

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It’s a well-known fact that Halloween is the the quintessential homo holiday. Other people have Christmas, Americans have Thanksgiving, patriots have the 4th, and the gays have All Hollows Eve. Of course, there is perhaps no better way to celebrate this spook-tacular holiday than in one of the oldest and most haunted cities in America: New Orleans.

Halloween New Orleans presented by Avita Pharmacy is a bewitching weekend celebration that includes a black tie silent auction and wine raffle, two circuit parties, a costume contest, Sunday brunch with Thelma Houston, and a walking parade down Bourbon Street. Oh, and did we mention it’s all for a good cause? 100 percent of the profits from the volunteer-run event will go to Project Lazarus, dedicated to providing healthcare and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS in New Orleans.

Here are six reasons New Orleans is the place to be this Halloween…

The hot Southern gentlemen (in costumes!)

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They say everything’s hotter in the South, and that couldn’t be more true about the men. This year’s Halloween New Orleans is expected to draw more than 5,000 guys from all across the country, many dressed in revealing costumes, which they’ll be showing off at Saturday night’s epic costume contest sponsored by Absolut.

The cool refreshing drinks

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Seriously, where else in America can you order a Sazerac, a Hurricane, or a 26-oz. Purple Drink in a styrofoam “go-cup” anytime, day or night, 24/7?

The insane food

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The Big Easy is known for it’s mouth-watering cuisine. Seafood gumbo. Po-boys. Jambalaya. Muffulettas. Red beans. Etouffee. French bread. And, of course, pralines and beignets. It’s all pretty much impossible to resist, even for the most body-conscious calorie counters. Luckily, you’ll have a chance to dance it all off at Halloween New Orleans’ Friday night neon party and Saturday night costume ball.

The pageantry

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Speaking of the neon party and costume ball, those are just two of many ghoulish goings-on happening in and around the city. There’s also the Krewe of Boo Parade, the city’s official Halloween parade, and the VooDoo Music Festival. Then, of course, there are the ghost and vampire tours of the French Quarter, the swamp and cemetery tours, the Voodoo Museum, the Museum of Death, the shrine to Santa Muerte, and the list goes on and on (and on).

The shopping

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In between the parties and parades, you’re going to need something to occupy your time. Luckily, New Orleans has plenty of unique shopping opportunities. In addition to all the boutiques in the French Quarter, there are the shops on Magazine Street, Canal Place, and the Riverwalk, plus pop up markets like the Frenchman Art Market and Palmer Art Fair, which feature goods by local artisans. Shop ’til you drop. Then go back to your hotel, rest up, and head out for another night on the town.

The city itself

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New Orleans has a rich history when it comes to the supernatural. Between the voodoo priestesses, the witches, the cemeteries, the haunted houses, and the vampires, there’s no shortage of spirits, both good and bad, lurking in the twisted streets and dark alleyways of this iconic 300-year-old city.

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