USC students who want to celebrate Halloween in the streets of WeHo with big energy and grand costumes can do so at the annual West Hollywood Carnaval.
The carnival will unfold on the one-mile stretch of Santa Monica Boulevard between North Doheny Drive and La Cienega Boulevard from 6-11 p.m. where gay clubs and queer nightlife thrives. In honor of the Halloween holiday, a variety of restaurants and bars have adjusted their hours.
The event, which has been hosted by the City of West Hollywood every year since 1987 is one is of the biggest Halloween celebrations in Los Angeles, with about 500,000 attendees each year. It boasts an inclusive atmosphere that encourages partiers to come dressed in their best Halloween costume.
Rossier master’s student Blaise Guerriero will be attending the event for the first time today. He is looking forward to the elaborate costumes and the connection to the LGBTQ community the event fosters.
“There are many times when we have busy days that we don’t necessarily always see that we have a whole bunch of people surrounding us that are like us that if we ever need we can reach out to,” he said. “But this is one of the many ways that we are able to get together as a community and we’re able to celebrate together and honestly be with one another.”
Although the event is in West Hollywood there are transportation options available for USC students who have to trek their way north to attend. For those utilizing rideshare, there are designated dropoff and pickup zones at two locations near the event, on Melrose Avenue and on Santa Monica Boulevard near La Cienega.