Hundreds of riders dressed as witches pedaled bikes, broom-cycles and decorated rides through the streets of St. Francisville near Parker Park, turning a Halloween-season tradition into a fundraiser for women and children fleeing domestic abuse. The costumed procession wound through town raising both money and awareness for the Purple House Foundation, a local organization built to help survivors find safety.
According to WBRZ, the ride has become a fixture of the fall calendar in West Feliciana Parish, though accounts differ on exactly how many years it has run. One WBRZ report described the gathering as the sixth annual Witches Ride, while a separate WBRZ account of the same event called it the fourth annual ride and put turnout at more than 700 participants. Both figures point to a crowd that has clearly outgrown its early days.
Those early days weren't so long ago. The Advocate has reported that the 2024 ride marked the official launch of the Purple House Foundation, which organizers described as a haven for women and children escaping domestic violence. That same year, more than 500 participants had registered for the ride, with the equivalent of another 200 registrations tied to community and business sponsors, the paper reported. The 2024 route started at Parker Park and moved along Ferdinand Street and Royal Street, stopping at local shops and four homes serving themed cocktails along the way.
Funds Go Straight to Survivor Services
The Witches Ride has already proven it can generate serious money for the cause: the event raised more than $50,000 in its first three years, the newspaper's earlier coverage found. The Purple House Foundation says on its website that it supports women and children escaping domestic abuse by connecting them with trusted local resources and providing practical, financial and emotional support, per Purple House Foundation. The group says it links survivors to organizations offering everything from shelter and counseling to legal and advocacy services.
That support can be immediate and tangible. Verdicanno, speaking with the station's reporters, said the organization can provide prepaid cell phones, emergency overnight lodging and help connecting people with social workers — describing the range of help as running from a pre-paid cell phone to a place to stay for a night to get someone set up with a social worker. Organizers have said they plan to expand future efforts by adding more community events alongside the ride itself, according to the same WBRZ report.
Where the Ticket Money Lands
Tickets for the event, sold through Zeffy, specify that proceeds support the Purple House Foundation of West Feliciana. The platform's listing states that the group fundraises through Zeffy specifically to ensure 100% of each purchase goes to its mission, rather than being diverted to processing fees.
That funding matters against a backdrop of strained resources statewide. A 20th annual survey of Louisiana domestic violence programs found that hotlines received 221 contacts during a single 24-hour survey period, averaging more than nine contacts per hour, according to a report from the National Network to End Domestic Violence. The same survey found that Louisiana programs were unable to meet 54 requests for help because they lacked sufficient resources, funding or staffing — and roughly 76% of those unmet requests involved emergency shelter, hotels, motels, transitional housing or other housing.
A Broader Pattern of Risk
Separate survey data reported by the Louisiana Illuminator found that 8% of people surveyed between May 13 and June 18, 2025 said they had experienced physical violence in the previous year. The same survey found that nearly 25% of women reported experiencing potentially lethal forms of intimate partner violence at some point in their lives, compared with 6% of men. Those figures help explain why organizers in St. Francisville keep leaning on costumes and community spectacle to draw attention — and dollars — toward survivor services.
For now, the Witches Ride remains St. Francisville's most visible answer to that need: a parade of broomsticks and capes moving past Parker Park each fall, built around the idea that a party can also be a lifeline.
