Saturday, October 31 on Santa Monica Blvd
The West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval takes over Santa Monica Boulevard on Saturday, October 31, 2026, from 6 to 11pm. It is a street party, not a parade: about a mile of Santa Monica Blvd, the old Route 66, between N Doheny Dr and N La Cienega Blvd closes to cars and fills with people in costume. Entry is free and no tickets are required.
Visit West Hollywood describes it as a mile-long celebration of costumes, creativity, music and community. There is one stage, at Santa Monica Blvd and N San Vicente Blvd, with a live DJ set and food trucks. No headliners have been announced, and there is no official theme this year, so the costumes are the show. The street event ends at 11pm, and the celebrations carry on at nearby venues.
This guide covers the rules worth knowing before you leave home, where to pick up a costume in the two days before, and where to eat nearby. If you want the neighborhood on a normal day, see our West Hollywood district page.
Bags, Closures and the Free Shuttle
What You Can Bring
Read the bag rule before you dress. The official wording: no backpacks, camera cases, tote bags and the like, though clear plastic bags are allowed. Weapons, fireworks and drones are also banned. Plan a costume that holds your phone, keys and card, or carry a clear plastic bag.
Alcohol and public drinking are prohibited along the route. Drinks are served inside bars and restaurants, not on the street. Kids and pets are strongly discouraged.
Street Closures and Parking
Closures start well before 6pm. According to the city's plan as reported by MyNewsLA, Santa Monica Blvd closes in sections from 10am on Saturday, and the stretch between La Cienega and Doheny is fully closed to cars by noon. Some side streets close earlier: N San Vicente Blvd between Santa Monica and Melrose is closed from 12:01am Saturday to 7am Sunday, and Robertson Blvd between Santa Monica and Melrose, plus La Peer Dr and Almont Dr at Santa Monica, close from 7am Saturday to 6am Sunday. La Cienega between Holloway Dr and Melrose closes from 10am Saturday to 6am Sunday.
Parking is tight. West Hollywood Park and its parking structure are closed on Saturday, and the Library Garage closes at 5am Saturday and reopens at 7am Sunday. Residential permit parking restrictions are suspended from 11am Saturday to noon Sunday. Visit West Hollywood's advice is to use rideshare or the free transit below. If you do take a rideshare, set your pickup a few blocks outside the closed area.
The Free WeHo Halloween Ride
The city runs a free shuttle, the WeHo Halloween Ride, from 6pm to 3am on Santa Monica Blvd between N La Brea Ave and N Kings Rd. From 6pm to midnight, select vehicles also connect to the Hollywood/Highland station on the Metro B Line. Regular PickUp and Cityline service is suspended on October 31. Metro bus lines 4, 10, 30/330, 105, 212/312, 217 and 218 serve the area; check Metro for route changes that night. For live updates, the city says to text "halloween" to (323) 848-5000.
Last-Minute Costume Shopping
If you are still without a costume on Thursday or Friday, Hollywood Blvd is the place to go. Three of the shops below are on the same stretch of the boulevard, between the 6300 and 6600 blocks, so you can cover them in one stop.
Hollywood Blvd Costume Shops
Hollywood Toys & Costumes (6600 Hollywood Blvd) is the one-stop option: costumes, masks, makeup, wigs, facial hair, props and licensed costumes, plus custom-styled wigs. It sells only and does not rent. Posted hours are Mon–Sat 10am–7pm and Sun 10:30am–7pm, and the shop says it stays open until 10pm or later closer to Halloween.
A few doors west, Outfitters Wig (6626 Hollywood Blvd) sells everyday and custom wigs, extensions, falls, clip-ins and bangs, in synthetic fiber and human hair. If a wig is the whole costume, a proper wig shop beats a bagged party wig. The Hollywood Partnership lists its hours as Mon–Sat 10am–6pm.
For decade costumes, Iguana Vintage Clothing (6320 Hollywood Blvd) carries vintage clothing, shoes and accessories for men, women and children, spanning the 1920s to the 1990s, which makes it the place for a decade costume built from real pieces. The Hollywood Partnership lists its hours as Mon–Sat 11am–7pm and Sun 11am–6pm.
Farther east, in East Hollywood, Adele's of Hollywood (5034 Hollywood Blvd) is a small second-floor costume shop that Discover Los Angeles lists for Santa suits and mascot outfits. Its hours were not posted on the pages we checked, so call ahead before you make the trip.
Buy or Build
There are two ways to get dressed this late, depending on time and budget. Buying a packaged costume is fastest, and Hollywood Toys & Costumes is the place for it; note that it sells only and does not rent. Building a costume from vintage or secondhand pieces takes longer but usually costs less and stands out on a street full of store-bought looks. Add a proper wig from Outfitters and makeup from Hollywood Toys and a thrifted outfit becomes a character. Whichever you choose, check it against the rules above: no backpacks or tote bags, and no weapons.
Secondhand on Melrose
Crossroads Trading (7409 Melrose Ave) is not a costume shop, but its racks of used clothing and accessories are a cheap source of costume parts: a blazer, boots or a dress you will style yourself. It is open Mon–Sat 11am–8pm and Sun 11am–7pm. Our Melrose Avenue walk covers the rest of the street.
Dinner Before the Carnaval
Expect a crowd on Saturday night: book ahead where you can, eat early, or plan to eat after 11pm. Remember that cars cannot reach Santa Monica Blvd or the closed side streets, so walk in from wherever your ride drops you.
Near the Route
South of the route, Melrose Ave has two good options. Gracias Madre (8905 Melrose Ave) is a plant-based Mexican restaurant; order the cashew cheese and the meat-free tamales. Alba (8451 Melrose Ave), near La Cienega, is Italian; order the truffle agnolotti. On Robertson, Darling by Sean Brock (631 N Robertson Blvd) serves wood-fired seafood and beef, with a limited number of dry-aged burgers each night.
North on Sunset, Saltie Girl (8615 W Sunset Blvd) serves fried lobster and waffles, lobster rolls, raw bar and tinned fish, if you would rather start the night on Sunset.
Plan the Night
A simple plan: pick up a costume on Hollywood Blvd on Friday, take the Metro B Line to Hollywood/Highland on Saturday evening and catch one of the shuttle vehicles that connect there until midnight, walk the route from 6pm and eat on Melrose or Sunset before or after. Carry a clear bag instead of a backpack, and charge your phone. If you are back in the neighborhood for shopping later in the week, the West Hollywood district page lists the shops on Melrose, Robertson and Sunset.