There’s something incredibly magical about attending a Halloween music festival. They are held across the United States and combine the wonders of a music festival with the horrors of Halloween. One of my favorite Halloween Festival Events is Voodoo Music Festival. I had the pleasure of attending my first Voodoo  back in 2016 and have been dying to go back since then. Voodoo takes place on Halloween weekend (October 26-28th) in New Orleans, Lousiana. 2018 will be Voodoo's 20th anniversary and it’s guaranteed to be their best one yet.  If you’re looking for a Halloween festival to attend… look no further than Voodoo. Here are four reasons why you shouldn’t sleep on Voodoo:

There’s no doubting this lineup is fire. Voodoo Music Festival boasts a wide variety of genres, including EDM, rock, pop, and rap. Voodoo is the festival you can bring all of your friends to and ensure there’s something for everyone. I’ve been dying to see Arctic Monkeys since my emo days and Childish Gambino is one of the hottest rappers in the game right now. With acts like Odesza, Zeds Dead, Tipper, Rufus Du Sol, Kayzo, and Space Jesus, you’ll be sure to get your EDM fix. 

2. The Location

Voodoo takes place each year in New Orleans, Louisiana. If you’ve never been, this is the time to go. New Orleans is famous for its nightlife, live music scene, and delicious cuisine that reflects a blend of French, African, and American culture. It's an especially fun place to be during Halloween because the entire city goes all out for this holiday. There’s also tons of historic spots to visit in New Orleans. Overall, it makes a great vacation spot so I recommend taking a few extra days to not only enjoy the festival but to also explore the city. Make time to explore Bourbon Street, Jackson Square, the Garden District, and don’t forget to get a beignet (basically a deep-fried pastry covered in powdered sugar - yum!) at the world famous Cafe du Monde. 

3. The Costumes

There’s already plenty of dressing up at regular music festivals, but Halloween is the time to go hard or go home. Everyone at VooDoo (and all New Orleans during Halloweekend) will be rocking costumes and getting their spook on. In 2016, I dressed up as Miley Cyrus, a hippie, and a nun (pictured below). Voodoo is your chance to get creative so let it all out!

4. The Venue

Voodoo’s festival grounds are nestled in City Park and are quite spacious. The grounds contain three stages, the Altar (the main stage), the South Course, and Le Plur (the EDM stage). There are also massive and interactive art installations to explore throughout the festival grounds. The 2018 festival map has yet to be released yet, but I’ve included the 2017 map to give you an idea of the lay of the land.