It might not be October anymore but many of us can still feel ourselves coming down from our Halloween high. My mind is definitely still trying to put the pieces together after spending the 31st at the West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval. It’s hard to say for sure how big it was when it first started in 1987, but this year Los Angeles had to block off a mile of the famous Santa Monica Blvd. in an attempt to accommodate the estimated 500,000 Halloween revelers! With the local population only being 37,000 you would figure most communities would revolt at having a sea of ghastly ghouls and sexy vampires flooding their neighborhood, but West Hollywood prides itself on being a diverse community that is welcome to all and celebrates the idea of people being able to express themselves however they choose.
If you decide to go one year make sure you use an Uber or Lyft because the parking there is a legit nightmare, and the traffic can get so bad you’re better off being dropped off a mile a way and hiking your way in. One of the best things about the event is that it’s completely free, so when you reach Santa Monica Blvd. you can just dive into the sea of humanity and fully immerse yourself as you marvel at all of the elaborate costumes. You are not suppose to drink alcohol on the street so if you want a drink you’ll have to go to one of the countless bars that run a long the street, most places there have a $20 cover charge to get in but they are packed full of festivities and sometimes promoters giving out free shots. The smartest thing to do is to pregame your drinks before coming out because with DJ’s at every intersection and people dancing in the street the real party is outside. Just a warning that if you are extremely far right or far left leaning this might not be the place for you with the participants being far from conservative or politically correct, but if you have an open mind then this event will probably be the most memorable Halloween night you will ever experience!
