Halloween Falls on a Saturday in West Hollywood This Year. Here's How the Day Unfolds Around Santa Monica Boulevard.

The City of West Hollywood's Halloween Carnaval runs from 6 to 11 p.m. on Saturday, October 31, 2026. It covers a one-mile stretch of Santa Monica Boulevard between N. Doheny Drive and N. La Cienega Boulevard. The street party lasts five hours. The approved closures on N. San Vicente Boulevard between Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue start at 12:00 a.m. that Saturday and can last until 7:00 a.m. Sunday, which is about 31 hours. This is the first time since the event came back in 2023 that October 31 falls on a weekend. The 2024 event was on a Thursday and the 2025 event was on a Friday. This year, the setup runs through the part of the weekend many people keep for errands, dog walks and a slow morning.

The City Council approved the 2026 plan on August 31. Most of what follows comes from the staff report behind that vote, which shows how much of the City's Halloween happens before the DJ starts.

The Saturday, hour by hour

12:00 a.m. North San Vicente between Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue closes, along with the alleys next to it. One minute later, at 12:01 a.m., West Hollywood Park closes. That includes both dog parks and the basketball courts, and they stay closed until 7 a.m. Sunday. The staff report says the Aquatics and Recreation Center and parts of Plummer Park will also be affected.

5:00 a.m. The Five Story Parking Structure and the Library Garage close and stay closed until 7 a.m. Sunday.

7:00 a.m. Side streets close at Santa Monica Boulevard. Robertson Boulevard closes between Santa Monica and Melrose. North San Vicente closes from Santa Monica up to Cynthia Street. La Peer Drive and Almont Drive close where they meet Santa Monica Boulevard, but you can still reach both from Melrose.

10:00 a.m. Santa Monica Boulevard starts closing in sections, from Croft Avenue and Holloway Drive east to La Cienega and from La Cienega west to Doheny. La Cienega closes between Holloway and Melrose. The eastbound and westbound turn lanes from Sunset Boulevard onto southbound La Cienega also close.

11:00 a.m. Residential permit parking rules are suspended citywide until noon on Sunday.

12:00 p.m. Santa Monica Boulevard between La Cienega and Doheny must be fully closed to cars. Micky's opens its all-day Halloween programming at the same time.

6:00 p.m. The Carnaval starts. The main stage at Santa Monica and N. San Vicente has a live DJ set, and food trucks line the route.

11:00 p.m. The Carnaval ends. Bars and clubs keep going.

6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Sunday The roads reopen in stages. Most closures end by 6 a.m. North San Vicente south of Santa Monica reopens no later than 7 a.m. The Plummer Park South Lot reopens at 8 a.m.

Why the morning starts so early

The 7 a.m. side-street closures come from setup time. The staff report says the traffic-control equipment that closes Santa Monica Boulevard can take up to five hours to install. To have the boulevard sealed by noon, crews need to close the side streets as early as 7 a.m.

Compared with last year, the closures on Robertson and the San Vicente stretch up to Cynthia move from 10 a.m. to 7 a.m. The 2026 plan also lists La Peer and Almont as separate closures with their own times. Both are named with access kept from Melrose, so the people who live there know which way to drive in. If Halloween fell on a weekday, a 7 a.m. closure would land during the commute. On a Saturday, it lands during the weekend morning.

Where the car goes, by date

The parking closures start days before the party. The Crescent Heights Lot closes almost a week before Halloween and stays closed for days afterward.

These dates come from the Council staff report. The City's October 5 news release gives Friday, October 30 as the start of the Plummer Park South Lot closure, a day later than the report. If you usually park there, check with the City that week. The staff report puts the City's lost parking revenue from meters, lots and structures at about $18,000.

The citywide suspension of permit parking from 11 a.m. Saturday to noon Sunday works in both directions. Visitors can park on residential blocks without a permit, and so can you. For more than a day, your own permit gives you no advantage on your block.

A Saturday gives the venues a full day

The calendar matters most for the businesses along the route. The City has a fee-waiver process for bars, restaurants, clubs, hotels, cannabis businesses and entertainment venues that hold small Halloween events from Friday, October 23 through Sunday, November 1. That covers ten days, and two of them are weekends. The Council approved about $20,000 in permit and encroachment fee waivers and up to $12,500 to cover Los Angeles County Fire site-plan review fees.

The clearest example of a full-day Halloween is at Micky's, 8857 Santa Monica Blvd. Its Halloween Pass is a $50 presale wristband. It is good from noon on October 31 until 4 a.m. on November 1, includes the after-hours event, front-of-line entry and in-and-out privileges, and has to be picked up before the 31st. Doors open at noon, the same hour the boulevard has to be sealed, so the bar is already open hours before the City's stage starts.

On Sunset, Riot House at the Andaz West Hollywood is hosting Love In This Club, Heroes vs. Villains from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. It is an R&B night with DJs J. Roberts, Joe Cooks, Thurst Mgurst and Beatific. The City's October 5 release mentions Halloween celebrations at West Hollywood's bars, restaurants, clubs, hotels and entertainment venues but does not name any of them.

The City expects tens of thousands of people in costume in the Rainbow District that night. Its safety rules are short. No alcohol along the route, no drinking in public, no weapons, and no drones. Clear plastic bags are allowed. The City also asks people to leave young children and pets at home. With the dog parks closed and the boulevard packed, the request about pets is easy to follow for anyone who lives within a few blocks.

Getting around on the night

On October 31, the free WeHo Halloween Ride replaces regular PickUp and Cityline service. Visit West Hollywood says it runs from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Santa Monica Boulevard between North La Brea Avenue and North Kings Road. Some vehicles connect to the Hollywood/Highland Metro Station from 6 p.m. until midnight. The Council report confirms the City will run the ride again and that it is paid for in the FY 2026–27 budget. The City's own event page still says transportation details are coming soon. The posted route matches what the City ran in 2025, so check the final timetable closer to the date.

Metro bus lines 4, 10, 30/330, 105, 212/312, 217 and 218 serve the city. The City sends riders to metro.net for detours caused by the closures. For safety concerns, the West Hollywood Sheriff's Station answers around the clock at (310) 855-8850. The City's Security Ambassador Hotline at (323) 848-6500 takes calls and texts 24/7 for non-emergency needs.

The last year under the current contract

The City puts the cost of producing the 2026 event at $1,993,193, set aside in the FY27 budget. Authentic Agency is producing it under a multi-year agreement negotiated in 2024. That agreement covers the 2024 through 2026 events and expires December 31, 2026, unless it is extended in writing with Council approval. The staff report says City staff will hold debrief meetings after this year's event and then report back to the Council.

The Council has not decided anything about 2027 or later. The Halloween celebration started in 1987 and returned in 2023 after a three-year pause during the pandemic. Its next format will be decided after this Saturday. Before the event, the City plans to mail a citywide notice that works as both an invitation and a notice of impacts, and to work with the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce on ways for local businesses to take part. The Council debrief that follows is where residents along the route can weigh in on what a full Saturday of closures was like.

If you own a home near the route, how your block handles this Saturday is useful information. Access during a full day of closures and how parking works when permits are suspended are the kinds of details buyers ask about later. To talk through how event weekends and street access factor into a West Hollywood property, Renée Avedon is available for a discreet conversation. Let's Connect.

This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.