Apr 17

Apr 17 Halloween In West Hollywood

Every year for Halloween over half a million people congregate to West Hollywood for the annual West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval. The event which is in its 32nd year as of 2019, has been drawing larger and larger crowds and gaining a reputation as the only place to be on Hallow’s Eve.

Halloween would have to be my favorite holiday and probably many others too. But it is extra special for me because it’s my birthday month (on the 20th actually) and it’s something I have made a tradition to celebrate all month long!

Yes, for the entire month of October I try to plan something special to do for every day of the month whether it’s something small like baking fall flavored treats (think pumpkin spice brioche french toast with cream cheese and apple cider syrup or poached pears in red wine sauce), or trying to attend as many concerts of my favorite bands on the weekend.

The highlight of this ‘birthday month’ is the trip I plan for every October which tends to revolve around fun destinations for Halloween. But ever since attending our first West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval in 2014, it has become somewhat of a tradition for us to go (although last year we did break this trend and tried out Halloween in New Orleans).

Why is it so incredible you ask? Imagine over half a million people packed onto a few short blocks of West Hollywood with the majority of them dressed in elaborate costumes that they’ve no doubt prepared all year long for.

It almost feels like you’ve literally stepped onto a horror movie set with how professional everyone’s make up looks. Trust me, you will never find a Halloween event like this any where else in the world. Of course you don’t have to dress up, but it is a lot more fun when you do.

Our first ever attempt at Halloween make-up.

At the event there are multiple stages where you can listen or dance to live music and street performances in between the stages that you can enjoy. Also expect lots of weird and wacky exhibitionists that love to shock people with their antics.

Of course the best thing to do though at the event is to people watch and observe the phenomenal costumes. I recommend starting at one end of the road closure and walk your way to the other end. It is shoulder to shoulder busy and might take about an hour to do.

Halloween in West Hollywood, Los Angeles

There are bars and nightclubs along the way that you can stop and have a drink at but many of them will have long queue’s to get inside. If you would like to have a drink or two there it is perfectly acceptable to BYO as on this night of nights it becomes legal to drink on the streets of Los Angeles (well at least on the streets surrounding the event anyway).

When the event ends at 11 pm the police begin to shoo revelers off the streets almost immediately as they need to begin clean up straight away so that the Santa Monica Boulevard can open back up the next day.

If you aren’t ready to go home you can always go nightclub hopping as there are many to choose from in the vicinity. Many of them are so packed on Halloween that patrons spill onto the sidewalk. A lot of them charge a hefty entrance fee on this night just because they know they can.

Something you should keep in mind is that it can be quite cool at night being that it is the end of October and all so you may want to bring a sweater. However, if your costume requires minimal clothing you won’t be alone as there will be many other scantily clad folks who will tough it out too. Also expect rain. Yes it could happen and has at two of the Halloween events we have gone to.

What if you’re attending from out of the area?

The first couple of years we attended we were living in the Malibu area so we were able to drive back home afterwards. The most recent time we went we had to fly into Los Angeles as we were/are living in Washington state.

If you are flying in for the event too, I recommend getting a hotel in the Hollywood area or finding a hostel if you are on a budget. That way you can Uber in without it being too expensive. If you end up staying at Banana Bungalows (a hostel on Melrose) you may even be able to walk to the event.

If you are trying to plan a trip down on a budget see this post on hostel options in Los Angeles. Otherwise you can look for hotels in West Hollywood here.

Even the police seem to have a good time at the event and are not opposed to you getting your photo taken with them.

What actually happens during the event?

On the night of the event, Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood is closed down so that attendee’s can enjoy music performances by bands and DJ’s across multiple stages that have been set up along road. There are also many food trucks lined up along Santa Monica Boulevard so you should save your appetite to try some of the creative fare on offer.

There is no street parade so it does not matter whether you get there at a certain time or not. However there are thousands of people with incredibly scary and funny costumes you can gawk at all night long.

When is the West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval?

The West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval takes place on Halloween night on October 31st whether it falls on a weekend or not. The official event kicks of at 6pm and all entertainment finishes at 11pm.

Where is the West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval?

The West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval happens along Santa Monica Boulevard between Doheny Drive and La Cienega Boulevard in West Hollywood.

Is there parking at the event?

There is parking at paid parking lots and garages in the area but get there early if you want to park close to the event. Street parking is also available but the closer you want to be to the event, the earlier you should come. Some party-goers get there very early in the afternoon. You could also consider looking for street parking further away and catch an Uber in to the event.