Fangs out: Vampire season is here in New Orleans

The big picture: The city's most famous vampire party is the Anne Rice Vampire Lestat Fan Club Ball on Halloween. It's sold out.

• Plus: This year, Rice's family and friends are hosting a celebration of life they say was delayed by COVID restrictions after she died in 2021.
• The Nov. 1 tribute at the Orpheum includes a stage show and a new documentary, according to the venue. It was almost sold out as of Monday.
• Other Halloween balls include the Endless Night Vampire Ball, the Queen's Labyrinth Halloween Ball and M.O.M.s Ball.

Zoom in: Another company is promoting a new celebrity-studded ball in January at the Ritz-Carlton for the fictional Mikaelson family from "The Originals."

• "The Originals," set in New Orleans but mostly filmed in Georgia, is a fantasy drama about the original vampire family. It's the backstory for "The Vampire Diaries," which stars Ian Somerhalder (Damon Salvatore) from Covington.
• The event lineup includes Daniel Gillies (Elijah) and Joseph Morgan (Klaus), according to the fan convention's website and Facebook group. Tickets are $1,800 per person.
• Their agents were not immediately available Monday to confirm their attendance to Axios.

Fun fact: There's an unofficial plaque in Jackson Square on the bench where Klaus and Elijah had their final scene, according to multiple fan posts.

Zoom out: New Orleans has plenty of other options to get in touch with the dark side.

🩸Drink a blood bag cocktail at Vampire Cafe in the French Quarter.

🪩 Tip an immortal at Le Vampyre Cabaret.

🧛🏻‍♂️ Buy custom fangs at Boutique du Vampyre.

👻 Take a ghost tour. Reddit has suggestions for the best ones.

Go deeper: 10 ways to embrace your inner vampire

Axios' Maxwell Millington contributed to this story.