There’s no better place to be than New Orleans for Halloween. It’s such an exciting time with so much to do and see. If you’re a resident of 1st Lake Properties or thinking of becoming one, then you’re in a great position to have the best time possible for the fall holiday.
(And if you still need a pumpkin, check out this post!)
Voodoo Music + Arts Experience is a Halloween tradition in New Orleans. (Photo via Flickr user Dan Merino)
Frenchmen Street – Each year in New Orleans, the local hotspot that is Frenchmen Street hosts a block party Halloween night and usually continues the party a day or two after (or for 2017, the weekend before). Some of the best costumes in New Orleans can be seen on Frenchmen Street during Halloween.
Haunted Houses – If you’re into the whole fear factor of Halloween, there are two pretty terrifying haunted houses in New Orleans to get in the scary Halloween spirit. The Mortuary is located in a haunted building on historic Canal Street and delivers a heavy dose of frights each year. House of Shock is considered by some to be the scariest haunted house in Greater New Orleans, located on Butterworth Street in Jefferson.
Voodoo Music + Arts Experience – To keep the party going into the weekend, the Voodoo Music + Arts Experience from October 27-29 will bring a three-day music festival with incredible headliners like Kendrick Lamar, LCD Soundsystem, the Foo Fighters, and The Killers along with local acts, plus interactive art installations, an art market, food and more all in New Orleans City Park.
Boo at the Zoo – If you’re looking for fun for the whole family, this is the place. Audubon Zoo hosts Boo at the Zoo October 27 and 28 from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m., rain or shine. Dress up in costumes and bring the kids for trick or treat houses, a Ghost Train, a scary and not-so-scary haunted house, games, entertainment and more. Tickets are $17 and are free for children 12 months and younger.
Halloween Photos + Goblin Express — The Lakeside Mall in Metairie has all the makings of a ghoulish good time. Get your shop on, then hop on the Goblin Express for $1.50 per ticket. The mall also offers photos with the Great Pumpkin. While both these events are designed for kids, kids at heart can join in the fun, too.
(Photo via Kaboompics.com)
Halloween in New Orleans is just around the corner, and it’s time to start thinking about costume ideas! While individual costumes are easy enough, what about the entire family? There are some great costume ideas out there for the entire family to get in on together! When you hit up your local costume shop for Halloween, keep these ideas in mind if you want to dress the entire family up using a fun theme!
Click here for a list of dog costumes from Party City
There are several costume stores, both in town and online, that sell Crayola Crayon group costumes! No matter how many are in your group, you can all choose a color and parade the streets as a technicolor group! It’s a great way to show some unity and allow everyone to express theselves by dressing as their favorite color.
Star Trek spans multiple generation as a family favorite. With the classic TV series, its multiple spin-offs, and the recent movie bridging the gap between young and old, everyone can enjoy dressing up as characters from the series! There are male and female costumes that everyone can wear, with kids and adults being able to dress up as heroes or aliens!
One classic costume that everyone can enjoy is the clown costume! While dressing up the whole family as clowns will give uniformity to your trick or treating adventures together, there are also enough variances in this classic stand-by to allow everyone to express themselves! There are hobo clowns, magician clowns, or the bright colors of the classic clown!
This is a great costume for your family or group, as there are multiple characters from the show, each with a different color scheme! Save the universe from evil while you collect candy on your Halloween night!
Fun for both kids and adults, Teletubbies costumes are silly enough for everyone to get a laugh out of this Halloween! Parade the streets as the entire gang! With colorful costumes that are instantly recognizable, you can’t go wrong!
Sesame Street is a show that several generations have grown up on. With the TV show still going strong, adults can feel nostalgic and children can feel right at home dressing up as their favorite characters! From Bert, Elmo, Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, or Big Bird, there are plenty of costumes to make the entire family look like a part of the friendliest street around!
People still love tales of the old west and the cowboy culture. With western themed costumes available at almost every costume shop, this is a great idea for families who want to add a little vintage flair to a group costume! Men and boys can dress as cowboys, while women and girls can dress as cowgirls or can-can dancers. It’s great fun for everyone!’,’Fun Family Costume Ideas’,0,’There are some great costume ideas out there for the entire family to get in on together! When you hit up your local costume shop for Halloween, keep these ideas in mind if you want to dress the entire family up using a fun theme!
During October in New Orleans, Halloween safety is a huge concern. Rightfully so, as it’s generally a holiday celebrated at night with kids running excitedly in the streets, candy being handed out by strangers, costume safety concerns, and a myriad of other potential hazards. Not only that, there are big events happening in New Orleans like the Voodoo Music Experience. While there are plenty of potential dangers on Halloween night, one of the most overlooked activities that could cause potential harm is the carving of the jack o’ lantern. However, with a little awareness, this fun family activity can go off without a hitch!
Because most injuries which occur when carving a pumpkin deal with the hands, these cuts can be tricky. Based on the nature of where tendons and nerves lie in the hand, the difference between a minor cut that will heal relatively quickly and a major wound that could potentially require surgery is razor thin. Wear gloves if you can while carving your pumpkin. While this won’t prevent any major accidents by itself, it can help in avoiding the minor cuts that may happen because of a quick slip of the knife. Gloves can also increase your grip on the cutting utensil. Thicker gardening gloves are generally recommended.
Make sure that the area you’re working in is clean, well-organized, well-lit, and dry. Any moisture on the table, cutting utensils, or your hands can cause you to slip with the knife and possibly cut yourself or someone nearby if you’re carving in a group. Be mindful of your knife handle. It’s easy for the handle to get wet during the process of carving, so make sure you keep it dry. Don’t handle the slippery pumpkin flesh with your bare hands and then grab the knife to keep cutting. As stated before, gloves with some thickness and gripping are preferable when carving.
When it comes to your knife, it’s not always best to use the sharpest knife available. While sharper knives give you more control when chopping food in the kitchen, carving a pumpkin is different in several ways. A sharper knife may become more deeply wedged in the pumpkin, and it requires more force to pull it out. You want to avoid strong, sudden movements with a sharp knife to avoid injury. Any jerking or pulling on the knife could cause you to lose control and potentially harm yourself or others. Be patient when making your cuts, and try not to be hurried. Deliberate movements will help you avoid accidents. Along with sharpness, the length of your knife is also something that should be considered. If the knife is long and sharp enough, it may pierce through the pumpkin where your other hand is stabilizing it.
After your pumpkin is carved and the knives are put away, there are still dangers. There’s still the business of putting a candle inside your pumpkin to help it light up the night! Some pumpkin artists recommend cutting the bottom out of the pumpkin instead of the top. That way, you can lower the pumpkin down onto a candle without reaching your hand inside and potentially burning yourself with a lit match or lighter.
There are also specialized carving and scraping tools available for those who prefer to be extra cautious as well as battery operated lights to use in place of candles. Halloween is great fun, and potential dangers shouldn’t overshadow that! Take the proper precautions and enjoy the Halloween season! With the right amount of care and awareness, you’ll be spooking the neighborhood in no time!
1st Lake Properties | P. O. Box 73709 | Metairie, LA 70033 | info@1stlake.com
