Thousands attended West Hollywood’s 2023 Halloween Carnaval. (photo by Jon Viscott)

West Hollywood will once again hold its Halloween Carnaval, the second time since the pandemic-forced hiatus from the iconic event. Since 1987, West Hollywood has been seen as the epicenter of the holiday for Los Angeles County. Routinely, hundreds of thousands of attendees pour into the city, many visiting specifically for Halloween.

The Carnaval is a large-scale operation for West Hollywood, which has a population of 35,000. While thousands descend on the Rainbow District each weekend, Halloween – like the June Pride festivities – requires a full-court-press of resources and personnel. As such, city staff is stressing the slogan, “If you see something, say something,” and promoting robust community safety practices. To reach out to the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station, visitors can call (310)855-8850. For non-emergency concerns, Block by Block has its own hotline at (833)934-6222, and people can also text (323)821-8604.

The Carnaval will have a DJ stage, food trucks and activations on Santa Monica Boulevard between La Cienega Boulevard and Doheny Drive. Costumes are, of course, encouraged.

“Halloween Carnaval will be a fun relief from election tensions – both national and local,” Councilwoman Lauren Meister said. “I am going as a childless dog lady for Kamala. Follow the paw prints and you shall likely find me.”

Councilman John Heilman echoed that the event provided a reprieve from the world’s stresses.

“I’m always excited about Halloween,” Heilman said. “I love seeing people having a good time. There are so many creative costumes. With so much darkness in the world right now, it’s great to see people come together just to celebrate and have fun.”

Mayor John Erickson said the success of the 2023 Halloween Carnaval has set the stage for an even bigger and better event this year.

“I’m excited we’re back for another year of spooktacular fun,” Erickson said. “I want people to know that the city is working around the clock to ensure the event is safe and fun and if people see anything, they should say something right away to first responders. Please remember to not drink and drive and have a good time out on the boulevard.”

For information on street closures and other details regarding Halloween, visit weho.org/halloween. For text updates, message the word “Halloween” or a jack-o’-lantern emoji to (323)848-5000.