The last stitches of the costume will at least get you through the first few hours of the night, and the brew is in the cauldron. It's time to make plans for Halloween weekend.

Being a town that loves a get-up and a chance to get out, NOLA rolls out one of the best Halloween shows around. And we even do it without Sookie Stackhouse! Like Carnival, the weekend's strength flows from the fact that it's complete disorganized chaos. Many have turned into a pumpkin trying to keep it all straight, but worry not! NoDef has compiled a few offerings off the beaten Frenchmen and Voodoo paths.

Endless Night Vampire Ball

Anne Rice may have left New Orleans, but that doesn’t mean the place isn’t still crawling with vampires. The freaks come out at night during Halloween to take part in the annual Endless Night Vampire Ball, an event that started in New York in 1996 and spread, quite naturally to the Crescent City. The ball takes its name from William Blake’s “Ages of Innocence,” a poem that includes the line “Some are born to Sweet Delight, Others are born to Endless Night.” While the life of a vampire might be one long endless night, the Vampire Ball is only one night a year, and this year’s event, dubbed the Steampunk Soiree, will be held on Friday at the House of Blues

According to a manifesto on the group’s website, “Many who come through the Gates of the Endless Night never truly know what to expect until after their first event,” though the organizers go on to explain that revelers can expect burlesque and belly dancers, DJs, live bands, and “a crowd dressed in a variety of costumes from medieval to steampunk to fetish.” Costumes are, in fact, mandatory, and the dress code makes it clear that anyone attending in street clothes will be refused entry without a refund and the life will be drained from their bodies by a horde of hungry blood-suckers. Okay, we made that last part up. Still, those planning to attend should dress to impress, as the ball is a formal event, which organizers liken to a state diplomatic affair or an underground Venetian Ball during Carnival.

For those worried about beef between the fetishist factions, be assured that the Vampire Ball is “a neutral ground for all alternative tribes to unite in ceremonial pleasure, dance, music, aesthetic expression and performance.” Participants are asked to show up with only an open mind and a kick-ass costume.

Curious night stalkers can check can check the Endless Night website for more information.

Allways Lounge's Halloween Fun House

At this point, the Mortuary and House of Shock are just places to bring the out-of-towners. Our city's haunted house scene has proven its depth year after year, so adding some new blood to the mix shouldn't be much of a problem. Down on St. Claude Ave., Dennis Monn at the Allways Lounge is providing a fresh way to scare the pants off you. Showcasing the talents of Cripple Creek Players theatre company, the Tally Ho Daredevils and the Lounge itself, the Fun House runs through Monday night. We've been sworn to secrecy from providing details on what lurks inside, but we can tell you that $7 admission earns a drink from the bar to numb the horror.

Anba Dlo 

This St. Claude corridor festival took shape when the New Orleans Healing Center (2372 St. Claude Ave.) wasn't yet up and running. Now that it's in full treatment, the way should be made for a full revival. The festival, held Friday, Oct. 28, includes a parade, music  and, lest we forget, neon interpretive dance. the costume parade lines up at 5:30 p.m., and will feature marching groups like the Radical Faeries, Muffalottas and the newly minted Cherry Bombs. Music will be provided in four rooms around the NOHC by Papa Grows Funk, Lynn Drury, Felice and the Overtakers, Coco Robichaux, 101 Runners and King James among many others. Expect a costume contests, and a sculpture unveiling for good measure. Admission is $20, but once you're in, you're in.

Krewe of MOMs Halloween Ball

During Mardi Gras, MOMs is the naked ex-girlfriend of the A-list party. Seeing as how we have other holidays where costumes and the occasional nudity are welcomed, the Krewe decided to extend the fun to Halloween as well. This year, the party will be thrown at Howlin' Wolf...with tickets that you can buy on the Interwebs! We know Honey Island Swamp Band and Revivalists are playing, and already wait in anticipation of what won't be worn at the costume contest. But all the other details are being kept in the crypt until the party begins on Sat., Oct. 29. Tickets are $25.

Crawly Things and Wookies from Audubon Institute

For those folks who need to ply the kids with candy before heading out for more adult-themed Halloween fun, Audubon Zoo is once again hosting its annual Boo at the Zoo, a fundraiser for Children’s Hospital and Audubon Zoo. Parents can head uptown for safe, kid-friendly activities like a haunted house, a Ghost Train, and two stages of entertainment. The event also features a Star Wars Stage Show, which might allow concerned moms and dads Uptown a chance to debate the merits of teaching their children whether or not Han shot first.

Boo at the Zoo is for children up to age 12, though organizers warn that the Ghost Train may be scary for children under 8 and, presumably, ‘fraidy cat tweens. Also, haunted houses will be available in “scary and non-scary” varieties, for those parents who believe in coddling the little ones. There will also be a haunted maze and lots of games with prizes and entertainment.

Audubon’s Insectarium is also getting in on the Halloween action this weekend with Crawloween, where more adventurous tots can go trick-or-treating for bug-themed treats; see a variety of creepy-crawlers including spiders, scorpions, and roaches; and enter the “Guess How Many Maggots are in the Jar” contest, which sounds only slightly less gruesome than a human centipede.

For more information about these events, or to purchase tickets, visit the websites for the Audubon Zoo and Insectarium.