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West Hollywood Halloween 2009. LALATE has all the details on tonight’s West Hollywood Halloween 2009 fun. The West Hollywood Halloween Parade Carnaval has been covered in depth – from road closures, to parking changes, to arrival information, to suggestions about everything from costumes to parking – for three years on LALATE.

In fact, the parade was one of the very first LALATE stories ever. This year, move over you Sarah Palins, it’s Kate Gosselin’s year as the festivities kick into overdrive.

What are some of the top 5 things about the parade that people don’t know?

1. The parade draws thousands of international tourists.

So if you have a great costume, and join in, don’t be surprised if tons of foreigners ask you for their picture. Many people think it’s just a local West Hollywood crowd. So untrue. You will see families from across the Southland to tourists from around the globe (that make the trip just for this parade).

2. You should not arrive at 7 pm.

You need to get there early. How early? Do yourself a favor and arrive between 4 to 5. It’s heaven. Easy street parking. Clear sky. Sit yourself down and get some food or a drink and relax. And if you think there is no traffic at 5 pm, think again. Coming from Beverly Hills on Santa Monica Boulevard, you will see a parking lot of traffic even at 5 pm. This year it could be better because Halloween falls on Saturday.

3. The music is very good.

The live stage which in previous years has always been a live cover band is exceptional. It’s traditionally at San Vicente and Santa Monica.

4. You might find free drinks.

Yes, if you arrive early, look for beverage sponsors who often roam the street giving out VIP passes to enter into the free drinking area at San Vicente andSanta Monica Boulevard.

5. Everyone seems to arrive at the same time.

In the first few hours, the parade is a steady flow. Then suddenly, it gets seriously packed. People hustling to get into bars. Crowds so thick it takes you minutes to walk just a few feet. So if you don’t like packed, packed, crowds, walk theparade early!

Do yourself a favor and walk the parade early and then settle into a bar of your choice. Once you are in a venue, it’s a prize; don’t give it up. Come 11 pm, you will see the line of people unable to get into your bar.

Here are more insider tips for tonight:

1. Traffic / Street Closures
Due to the City of West Hollywood’s annual Halloween Costume Carnaval, the following streets will be temporarily CLOSED as follows:

• Santa Monica Boulevard between La Cienega Boulevard and Doheny Drive 12 p.m. Saturday, October 31 through 6 a.m., Sunday, November 1, 2009.
• Robertson Boulevard between Melrose Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard from 12 p.m., Saturday, October 31 through 6 a.m., Sunday, November 1, 2009.
• San Vicente Boulevard between Cynthia and Melrose Avenue from 12 p.m., Saturday, October 31 through 6 a.m., Sunday, November 1, 2009.
• La Cienega Boulevard between Holloway Drive and Santa Monica Boulevard from 4 p.m., Saturday, October 31 through 6 a.m., Sunday, November 1, 2009.
• Sunset Boulevard eastbound and westbound turn lanes onto La Cienega Boulevard from 6 p.m., Saturday, October 31 through 7 a.m., Sunday, November 1, 2009.
• La Peer Drive eastbound turn lane onto Santa Monica Boulevard from 12 p.m., Saturday, October 31 through 7 a.m., Sunday, November 1, 2009.

The City of West Hollywood will suspend permit parking for the Halloween Carnaval from 5 p.m. Saturday, October 31, 2009 to 6 a.m., November 1, 2009. Meters will be enforced.

2. Contact information:

Halloween Carnaval Hotline at (323) 848-6307.

Online – weho.org

3. Planning

As always, the parade is expecting to again bring in hundreds of thousands of Halloween fans. The parade in recent years is a mixture of people in costume, and not. It’s not really a parade, but simply people walking down Santa Monica Boulevard together, ad hoc. Along the path, there is food, restrooms, and a gazillion crazy people who love their picture being taken.

Wear comfortable shoes, because there is a lot of walking. Keep your cellphone on vibrate, because you can loose your friends. Once the crowds set in, you will have to text because you can hardly hear yourself at some points. Don’t expect it to be cold. There are so many people, you never really get chilled.

If you like a “beverage”, in 2007 and 2008 many alcohol companies had private booths that they passed out free tags to come in and partake, for free, for certain time. Those pass outs were early on.

Here is the top 5 things you need to remember.
1. Comfortable shoes
2. Catch the stage on San Vicente with the cover bands. They are really good.
3. And most of all, come early. If you want to show up, do so early, later afternoon preferably, and hang out. If you try to make an entry after 8 pm, good luck. If you can, do yourself a favor and arrive hours early, before 7, find easy street parking, and just chill.

For LALATE’s mega Halloween category, from celebrity costumes, to parties, to presidential pumpkins. Source.

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