Despite the fact that the famous Halloween Carnaval in West Hollywood has been canceled for the third straight year, officials still hope to drag in Halloween crowds.
The beloved Halloween Carnaval was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and it now seems officials have new plans for the holiday. City officials hope to inspire local venues and businesses to host and produce small-scale events at stores and restaurants for the holiday. According to the city’s website, participating businesses will host costume events and contests, Halloween-themed meals and drinks at restaurants and bars, Halloween-themed trivia, and more.
West Hollywood is the place to be for #Halloween! Celebrate this year at our one-of-a-kind bars, restaurants, clubs, hotels, and more!
Learn more about Halloween in West Hollywood: https://t.co/2foQy2FU2G pic.twitter.com/jfcyRwT1fr
— City of West Hollywood (@WeHoCity) October 21, 2022
In order to streamline the process and make it easier for businesses in the area, the city has waived special event permits and associated fees for businesses hosting Halloween events from Oct. 28 through Halloween night.
The decision not to have Halloween Carnaval in 2022 was made over the course of several months, involving input and discussion from the West Hollywood City Council, the City Ad Hoc Events Subcommittee and City Council Finance and Budgeting Subcommittee, City Staff and community members via public meetings. Halloween Carnaval was billed as the largest Halloween in the world, with 150,000 to 200,000 people attending the 2018 celebration.
Though Halloween Carnaval has been nixed there is still plenty to do—even for those hoping to find another large crowd. In Beverly Hills, “The Witch’s House” at the southeast corner of Walden Drive and Carmelita Avenue is expecting 4,000 to 5,000 guests, according to the homeowner Michael Lidow.
“I’m always thrilled to know that my home brings a smile to the face of each visitor young and old,” Lidow stated.
There’s also Haunt O’ween, a 200,000-square-foot “interactive Halloween playground with nine expansive thematic environments,” including trick-or-treating, potion-making and more.
Welcome to the magical world of Haunt O’ Ween 🧡
🎟 🎟 https://t.co/BbGUwPvMYY pic.twitter.com/JeSdxxyXWG
— Haunt O’ Ween (@HauntoweenLA) October 3, 2021
The 15th annual DTLA Halloween Festival for Kids, which includes trick-or-treating, bounce houses, puppets, and more, is happening at Grand Hope Park at FIDM and LA Mirada’s annual Halloweenfest, “a family-friendly event great for all ages, including pets” will host guests at Neff Estate.
As for other Halloween fun, LAMag has you covered:
L.A. Philharmonic + The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Walt Disney Concert Hall, DTLA
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is celebrating this Halloween with a screening of the genre-defining German expressionist masterpiece The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Director Robert Weine’s horrific magnum opus has long been lauded as one of the most important films of all time. Over one hundred years since its original release, the enduringly sinister and disturbingly crooked silent film will be shown at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, accompanied by the haunting, atmospheric tones of the L.A. Phil’s monster pipe organ, played by the virtuosic Clark Wilson. The event will begin at 7:30 p.m. on October 31 with tickets ranging from $35 to $46.
Shaqtoberfest, Queen Mary in Long Beach
The 15-time All-Star and basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal is teaming up with ABG Entertainment and Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group for the first-ever Shaqtoberfest Halloween event, taking place at the historic Queen Mary in Long Beach. Officially open to the public beginning late September through Halloween, the interactive experience will be the ultimate destination for family-friendly fun, ghoulish games, delicious treats, specialty libations, frightfully fun nighttime haunted trails, and exciting live entertainment that encapsulates O’Neal’s playful personality. For more information and to stay up to date on ticket information visit Shaqtoberfest.com.
Nights of the Jack, Calabasas
L.A.’s leading immersive event, Nights Of The Jack, the ultimate Halloween experience for the whole family, is back for its 5th year and is bigger and brighter. Welcoming over 100,000 guests every year, greater L.A. area residents and celebrity fans alike are expected to visit Calabasas for the annual event, which includes thousands of hand-carved pumpkins, immersive scenes and walking trails, premium food, beverages and cocktails and more.
New for the 2022 season, Nights Of The Jack is adding four nights of trick or treating with live costume characters, occurring October 28-31. Also new for this year, live face painters and a brand-new jungle animal scene will be added to the immersive walking trail. Tickets are on sale at NightsOfTheJack.com.
Dark Harvest, Anaheim
“If you’re not terrified, then we’re not doing our job,” says the folks at this fright-fest. Get ready to experience all things gore while walking through this spectacular eight-minute attraction. From intense audio and strobe lights to special events and sudden actions, Dark Harvest is enthusiastic about creating an intense environment that will have you leaving with a shiver.
City News Service contributed to this report
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