The City of West Hollywood has set its Halloween Carnaval for Saturday, October 31, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. It runs along the one mile of Santa Monica Boulevard between N. Doheny Drive and N. La Cienega Boulevard. That is the five-hour version of Halloween, the one in the photos. For anyone with a front door, a dog, or a car in the Rainbow District, the event runs much longer. In 2026 it starts earlier than it did in 2025.
Last year Halloween fell on a Friday. This year it falls on a Saturday. The city's Halloween event page now closes San Vicente Boulevard between Santa Monica and Cynthia, and Robertson Boulevard between Santa Monica and Melrose, at 7 a.m. Last year's notice closed them at 10 a.m. The Crescent Heights Lot was closed for five days last year. This year it is closed from Monday, October 26, through Wednesday, November 4. The Carnaval's 6 to 11 p.m. hours have not changed since 2025.
Thirty-One Hours, Measured From the Park Gate
The city's closure schedule starts on Friday morning and ends Sunday afternoon. The times below come from the city's October 5 announcement and its current event page.
| When | What changes |
|---|---|
| Fri, Oct 30, 5 a.m. | Plummer Park South Lot closes |
| Sat, Oct 31, 12 a.m. | West Hollywood Park, both dog parks and the basketball courts close; N. San Vicente closes between Santa Monica and Melrose |
| Sat, 5 a.m. | Library Garage closes |
| Sat, 7 a.m. | San Vicente to Cynthia, Robertson to Melrose, and La Peer and Almont at Santa Monica close |
| Sat, 10 a.m. | Closures begin on Santa Monica Boulevard and on La Cienega between Holloway and Melrose; Sunset Boulevard turn lanes onto southbound La Cienega close |
| Sat, 11 a.m. | Residential permit parking restrictions lifted citywide |
| Sat, 12 p.m. | Santa Monica fully closed to cars between La Cienega and Doheny |
| Sat, 6 p.m. | Carnaval begins; WeHo Halloween Ride service starts |
| Sat, 11 p.m. | Carnaval ends |
| Sun, Nov 1, 3 a.m. | Last WeHo Halloween Ride service |
| Sun, 6 a.m. | Santa Monica, La Cienega and side streets reopen |
| Sun, 7 a.m. | Park, dog parks, Five-Story Parking Structure and Library Garage reopen |
| Sun, 8 a.m. | Plummer Park South Lot reopens |
| Sun, 12 p.m. | Permit parking restrictions return |
West Hollywood Park closes just after midnight on Saturday and reopens at 7 a.m. Sunday, which is 31 hours. The small and large dog parks are on the same schedule. The Five-Story Parking Structure is closed all day Saturday. On a Friday Halloween, part of that window fell on a workday. On a Saturday it takes the whole weekend day, the one usually spent on errands, brunch and long dog walks.
Why 7 a.m. Matters More on a Saturday
The earlier closures are on the streets that feed the stage. The Carnaval stage sits at Santa Monica and N. San Vicente. Robertson, La Peer and Almont all meet Santa Monica inside the event footprint. The city notes that local traffic can still reach La Peer Drive and Almont Drive from Melrose Avenue. On those blocks, the way in on Saturday is from the south.
The city also says barricades will go up on side streets next to Santa Monica before 10 a.m. Santa Monica itself has to be fully closed between La Cienega and Doheny by noon so the event can be produced safely. In practice the boulevard stops working as a through street by late morning. That is six hours before the first DJ set, on a day that would otherwise be a normal Saturday.
The parking change follows from this. Permit restrictions are lifted citywide from 11 a.m. Saturday until noon Sunday. A permit-only block becomes open parking for a crowd the city expects to number in the tens of thousands. A car moved after 11 a.m. may come back to a block that looks very different.
Ten Days of Halloween on the Other Side of the City
The Carnaval is free, and the city's announcement lists a live DJ set and food trucks without naming any performers. Most of the rest of Halloween in West Hollywood is ticketed, and it is spread over a much longer stretch than the street party.
The city made that stretch official. It created a process to waive special event permit fees, encroachment permit fees and basic Fire Department site plan review fees for local bars, restaurants, clubs, hotels and venues hosting small Halloween events from Friday, October 23, through Sunday, November 1. That is a ten-day window, and the listings already posted spread across it. Most of the confirmed events so far are at hotels and venues on and near the Sunset Strip, not on the Carnaval route.
- Wednesday, October 28. The Viper Room hosts the MINISTRY HATE TO GO Record Release Party & AL-0WEEN Bash, 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., $20 in advance and $25 at the door, with an Al Jourgensen look-alike contest.
- Friday, October 30. White Rabbit Sky Lounge at The Valorian holds The Hustle, a 70s disco Halloween night. Doors open at 8 p.m. and tickets start at $19.25.
- Saturday, October 31, from noon. Micky's West Hollywood sells a Halloween Pass for $50 presale. It covers entry from noon until 4 a.m., after-hours access, front-of-line entry and in-and-out privileges.
- Saturday, October 31, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Riot House at Andaz West Hollywood hosts Love In This Club: Heroes vs. Villains. Hotel Ziggy runs its Haunted Hotel Halloween at the same hours, with tickets from $20, DJs and specialty cocktails.
- Sunday, November 1. Sunset at EDITION closes out the window with HalloKing, 8 p.m. to midnight.
FrightCrawl West Hollywood also lists bar crawls from October 29 through 31, at $15 to $20 depending on the night. Its stops have not been posted yet. All prices above are as listed on October 12 and may change.
Micky's noon start fits the city's clock. Its pass opens an hour after permit parking is lifted and six hours before the Carnaval begins. For a Saturday Halloween, at least one venue on the boulevard has planned for the whole day.
Getting Home After Midnight
The city's transit plan is built around the overnight hours. On October 31, the PickUp and Cityline drop their regular schedules for one combined, free service called the WeHo Halloween Ride. It runs along Santa Monica Boulevard from N. La Brea Avenue to N. Kings Road from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. Some vehicles also run to the Hollywood/Highland Metro B Line station until midnight. Route and schedule details will be posted at wehopickup.com. The Ride runs four hours past the end of the Carnaval, which lines up with the 2 a.m. finish at Riot House and Hotel Ziggy.
The city's rules for the route are short. No public drinking. No backpacks, camera cases or tote bags, though clear plastic bags are allowed. No weapons, fireworks or drones. The city strongly discourages bringing children or pets. To get updates on the day, text "halloween" to (323) 848-5000. The city's Security Ambassadors will be on site, and their hotline at (323) 848-6500 takes calls and texts around the clock for non-emergency needs.
The Smaller October Dates Before the Big One
The Carnaval is the last of several October dates on the city calendar, and the earlier ones have their own logistics.
On Saturday, October 17, Plummer Park hosts a free Youth Halloween Carnival from 2 to 5 p.m., with games, a trackless train, crafts, performances and treats. It is the family-friendly event in a month whose main event discourages bringing children.
The next morning, Sunday, October 18, AIDS Walk Los Angeles returns to West Hollywood Park, according to WEHO Times. The outlet reports street closures on Santa Monica and San Vicente. So the same park and the same intersection will be closed for an event twice in two weeks.
On Sunday, October 25, the West Hollywood Aquatic and Recreation Center holds a Floating Pumpkin Patch from 1 to 3 p.m. The Crescent Heights Lot closes the next day and stays closed for ten days.
The city traces the Carnaval back to 1987. Santa Monica Boulevard reopens at 6 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, and permit parking returns at noon.
Hosting guests for Halloween weekend means planning around these times, from the midnight park closure to the last 3 a.m. Ride. At Carey More, we plan stays around the city's calendar so arrivals, parking and late nights go smoothly. Subscribe for Exclusive Listings, and for our notes on West Hollywood as it changes through the year, starting with our West Hollywood neighborhood guide.
