Since 1987, the West Hollywood Carnaval has been the culmination of the many Halloween festivities throughout the month of October. After all, it attracts hundreds of thousands of festive attendees every Halloween night year after year, and that number continues to grow annually.
Costumes Encouraged!
The carnaval or “parade” takes place on Wednesday, October 31st between 6PM-11PM along Santa Monica Blvd. This one-mile road closure stretches between La Cienega Boulevard on the east and Doheny Drive on the west.
This is an adult only party. Some of the costumes may be too risqué or show too much skin for young eyes. Plus, there’s areas that bottleneck with foot traffic where you are shoulder to shoulder with people and barely inching along. It’s not a place for kids, strollers or dogs.
Traffic is insane, so definitely get there early. Most visitors will park east of Fairfax and walk the extra distance to avoid getting stuck in a sea of cars.
So we got a few of the negatives out of the way. Now prepare for an awesome street party with stages set up for live music, costume contests and much more. Plus, the entire stretch of the boulevard is filled with tons of great bars, each with their own special Halloween party off the street.
West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval 2018
Costumes definitely encouraged! Because West Hollywood is known as “The Creative City,” expect some of the most elaborate and unique costumes in the world.
Our best advice – get a local hotel room if they’re still available. Hotels nearby that are all walkable to the parade include The Ramada West Hollywood, The London West Hollywood, The Chamberlain, The Mondrian, The Andaz, Le Parc Suites, Sunset Tower, The Jeremy, and The Best Western Sunset Plaza. This is the perfect idea for those that want that extra time and comfort in putting together the best costume and makeup, and for those that want to indulge a bit with cocktails. NOTE: The best in law enforcement will be on hand from The West Hollywood Sheriffs, the LAPD, and The Beverly Hills Police Dept. There will also be numerous checkpoints set up for drunk driving. A hotel stay is a fraction of a DUI (driving under the influence arrest).
For more information on this event, call the City of West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval 2018 Hotline at 323-848-6503, or check out VisitWestHollywood.com.
Happy Halloween from all of us at Glitterati Tours!
