Lord Knows I’m a Voodoo Chile

Inaugurated in 1999, the Voodoo Music + Arts Experience has become a Halloween tradition for New Orleans, featuring more than 2,000 artists in its 15 years, showcasing the world’s most popular musical acts along with local Louisiana legends.

George Clinton © Joe Van | Flickr

Voodoo was originally launched at Tad Gormley Stadium in City Park, though it was the second year that put the festival in the national spotlight after a headlining performance by Eminem who had just released his debut album, The Slim Shady LP. As festival culture grew in America, so did the crowds at Voodoo, which eventually added three more stages to handle demand.

© Joe Van | Flickr

The festival was temporarily displaced in 2005 due to the impact of Hurricane Katrina. Despite having moved to Memphis, founder Stephen Rehage met with New Orleans community leaders to move one of the days back to New Orleans. On Oct. 29, 2005, just two months after the hurricane, Voodoo held a free celebration for service members and people involved with recovery efforts, the first musical event held in the city since the storm.

The Flaming Lips © Joe Van | Flickr

Voodoo has since drawn crowds of more than 100,000 people, second only to the city’s jazz festival. This year’s headliners will be deadmau5, Florence + The Machine and a special performance from Ozzy Ozbourne featuring Geezer Butler, Tom Morello and Slash.