Rise and Run: Inside the Annual New Orleans Zombie Run

Laura Kuhn
Jul 21
2 min read

Before the floats roll and the fog machines fire up, before skeletons dance down Decatur and vampires toast to the full moon, there’s only one thing on New Orleans’ Halloween weekend agenda: Run for your life. Literally.

Welcome to the New Orleans Zombie Run—a 2-mile, blood-spattered sprint through the heart of downtown, where participants either flee in terror or stagger with dead-eyed determination. It’s cardio meets chaos, and it kicks off the Krewe of BOO! weekend with a shriek and a shuffle.

Let’s dig up the dirt on how this undead dash got started, what goes into organizing it, and why thousands of thrill-seekers willingly lace up their sneakers… to be chased by professional zombies.

🧛‍♂️ The Origin Story (Because Every Apocalypse Has One)

The Zombie Run began as the gory warm-up to the Krewe of BOO! parade—a high-energy way to bring locals and visitors into the Halloween spirit and literally get their blood pumping.

What started as a quirky side event quickly exploded into a full-on pre-parade tradition. Now, every October, the streets around the Warehouse District turn into a spooky survival course. And no one is safe.

🎽 How It Works: Chase or Be Chased

Participants choose one of two roles:

Survivors: You wear a race bib, your gruesome makeup and inventive costume, and the very real knowledge that zombies are coming for you.
Zombies: The Big Easy Roller Derby show up early for professional makeup (courtesy of our undead glam squad), put on their most menacing lurch, and prepare to terrify.

The course winds through the Warehouse District in Downtown New Orleans, past haunted bars, curious tourists, and street musicians who absolutely encourage running in fear.

👟 What to Expect on Race Day

Pre-Race Registration: 7:30am Obtain your race bib and sign in for your run at Lucy's Retired Surfer's Bar at 701 Tchoupitoulas, the start and ending point of the race.
On-Course Chaos: 9:00am Screaming runners, fog machines, hidden surprises, and at least one person tripping over their own cape
Post-Run Party: Because in New Orleans, we don't cool down—we turn up. Finishers head straight into the post-run block party zone or prep for the parade. Bloody Marys are highly encouraged.

🏅 Come for the Chase, Stay for the Swag

Runners receive:

A commemorative T-shirt (bonus points if it has blood on it)
A Zombie Run bib for bragging rights
The deep satisfaction of surviving the apocalypse... until the next float rolls

🧟‍♀️ Why We Run (Toward the Chaos)

Because in New Orleans, Halloween isn’t just about dressing up—it’s about playing a role, being part of the story, and turning the streets into a stage. The Zombie Run is interactive theater with sneakers, a reminder that Halloween here is lived.

It’s weird, it’s wild, and it’s worth every terrifying second.

So this October, whether you sprint like a final girl or stagger like a reanimated jester, one thing is clear: The undead run this city. And they start with a 2-mile head start.

🎃 See you at the starting line—just don’t trip. They will catch you.