Halloween in New Orleans: Go spooktacular in the Deep South

I'm dressed up as a Jack-o'-lantern and the smile on my face is wider than the toothless grin of the orange pumpkin on my costume. I'm already more buzzed than a trick-or-treating toddler as Mardi Gras veteran Scott warns that "the feeling of riding on a float in New Orleans is addictive - there's nothing like it".

I'm participating in the annual Krewe of Boo - New Orleans' official Halloween parade and the second-largest after Mardi Gras. And Scott's right, it is a ghoul-some good time. The Krewe of Boo is the culmination of a whirlwind celebration (held on one of the weekends just before Halloween) exploring all things supernatural and spooky in one of America's most haunted cities.

I've stepped in one of the Crescent City's famous second-line street parades, competed in the New Orleans Zombie Run chased by undead rollergirls, dined in a haunted Creole restaurant and dabbled in the world of voodoo. However, the main event is Krewe of Boo, a stacked two-day schedule of Halloween-themed events involving krewes - member organisations of float riders or walking troupes.

Organiser aka chief spookster Brian Kern says Krewe of Boo began as a Hurricane Katrina relief fund (and spirit) raiser in 2007 and has become a beloved fixture of the New Orleans year-round event calendar.

This is a city that loves to costume. New Orleans is a bona fide party town where no one will bat a bejewelled eyelid if you wear fancy dress and with so many annual festivals and impromptu celebrations, you're guaranteed to find some form of revelry on your trip.

Following his family's legacy, fourth-generation Blake Kern is the krewe captain of our double-decker papier-mache float with 42 costumed riders throwing Halloween tricks and treats in the form of beads, trinkets, toys and snacks to tens of thousands below. The energy is electric and the music is pumping as 630 riders assemble on 16 creepy floats plus 45 marching band, dancing and walking krewes, ready to roll on the 4.8-kilometre route.

It's the only parade that travels through the French Quarter and we slowly weave our way through some of New Orleans' most historic - and haunted - addresses from Decatur Street to Tchoupitoulas Avenue via the main drag, Canal Street.

It's exhilarating to see the palpable excitement of Halloween revellers clambering below for throws - most also clad in costumes from the madcap to the macabre.

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It reflects how New Orleans embraces its paranormal pedigree, derived from a brutal past and unique swamp geography, with ghost and cemetery tours and tarot readers galore in Jackson Square.

In her French Quarter shopfront where psychic manifestation is serious business, voodoo priestess Catherina Williams says New Orleans derives its power from the crescent moon and the Mississippi River.

"It's a potent combination," she says. "Nowhere else do these elements align to make New Orleans the magical mystical capital of USA."

Where: New Orleans, Louisiana, US

How much: A Krewe of Boo riding membership and throw package allows you to ride in a float and gives you access to all the other events, such as the Zombie Run. It costs from $US1000 ($1584).

When: Krewe of Boo will take place on October 19 in 2024, about two weeks before Halloween on October 31.

Explore more: kreweofboo.com

The writer was a guest of New Orleans & Company.