West Hollywood Rolls Out The 'Dead' Carpet

HE 22ND ANNUAL WEST HOLLYWOOD HALLOWEEN COSTUME CARNAVAL SET TO BE THE LARGEST HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION IN THE WORLD.

WEST HOLLYWOOD, California – Like zombies in a horror film, nearly half a million people will descend on Santa Monica Blvd. on October 31, 2009, for the 22nd annual West Hollywood Halloween Costume Carnaval. From the outrageous to the frightful, West Hollywood’s Halloween revelers are expected to once again comprise the largest Halloween celebration in the world.

To make room for this monstrous bash, the city will close Santa Monica Blvd. between Doheny Dr. and La Cienega Blvd. The witching hour begins at 6 p.m. and rolls into the dead of night. New this year, an array of live music acts, contortionists, aerialists, stilt-walkers, DJs and illusionists will perform on stages scattered throughout the event. Most notably, Right Said Fred will bring “I’m Too Sexy” back and perform material from their new album.

Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, making this the ideal time to stay the weekend and experience the sights and frights of West Hollywood and the surrounding neighborhoods. Here are a few of the many things going on Halloween weekend:

Trashy Lingerie's Annual Halloween Costume Ball 2009 – This year’s ball features The Trashy Girls dancers with special performances by Darling Stilettos with Matt Sorum. Saturday, October 31, 2009 7:30 PM at Key Club (9039 W. Sunset Blvd.) in West Hollywood. Dinner is at 7:30 p.m. and the party starts at 8:30 p.m. Call 310-274-5800 to make dinner reservations. Please visit www.trashygirls.com for more information.

Dearly Departed, Hollywood’s Tragical History Tour (Hollywood) – Revisit Hollywood scandal and celebrity death in the famous Dearly Departed “Tomb Buggy” on Hollywood’s Tragical History Tour. The tour visits the Hollywood locations of macabre murders and sensational deaths. Hear the stories that immortalized River Phoenix, Janis Joplin, The Black Dahlia and Bella Lugosi, among many others. The three-hour tour explores more than 100 scenes of Hollywood death daily in October. Visit www.dearlydepartedtours.com for more info.

Hollywood Forever Cemetery Historic Walking Tour (Hollywood) – Hollywood Forever is perhaps the most star-studded of cemeteries, featuring mausoleums, exhibitions, monuments and gardens. Legends Cecil B. DeMille, Johnny Ramone and Jayne Mansfield are among those buried at Hollywood Forever. On October 31, celebrate Halloween on hallowed ground. Beginning at 3 p.m., the Hollywood Forever Cemetery offers a two-hour walking tour through the labyrinth of historic final resting places. Admission is $12 per person; reservations are not required. www.hollywoodforever.com.

Hotel Specials
Book a hotel room at one of West Hollywood’s hotels and awaken the dead with a weekend of thrills and chills. These hotels are offering special Halloween packages:

Le Parc Suites Hotel Halloween Bed and Breakfast Package for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, October 30, 31 and November 1 (two night minimum required) for $245 per night plus tax. It includes a stay in a luxurious king suite and choice of Le Parc Breakfast, Los Angeles Light Breakfast or Continental Breakfast for two, served in Knoll – Le Parc’s award-winning restaurant – or delivered to the suite. To book the package, guests should visit the website: www.leparcsuites.com, click on “reservations”, enter their dates of arrival and departure and then enter the code: HALLOWEEN in the promotions box.

The London West Hollywood has rooms available for Halloween weekend starting from $199 per night, double occupancy (based on availability). Book via www.TheLondonWestHollywood.com. The hotel will invite guests staying at the hotel on Halloween to a special "Witching Hour" event at the poolside bar, featuring Halloween-inspired cocktails and appetizers at discounted prices. This is open to hotel guests only. Sunday morning following Halloween, Boxwood Café at The London West Hollywood is offering a "Recovery Brunch" from 11:30 am - 3 pm, highlighting seasonal harvest flavors and featuring a special Bloody Mary bar. Price is $50 per person which includes three courses plus a cocktail of choice from our special "Bloody Bar" featuring various Bloody Marys, Bloody Caesars, and other bloody-good drinks. This is open to all, but reservations are recommended. 310-358-7788 or www.TheLondonWestHollywood/Gordon_Ramsay

For more details about Halloween in West Hollywood, including event schedules, parking information and street closures, please visit www.westhollywoodhalloween.com or www.visitwesthollywood.com.

ABOUT THE WEST HOLLYWOOD MARKETING & VISITORS BUREAU
Located at the foot of the Hollywood Hills in the heart of Los Angeles and just 1.9 square miles in size, the city of West Hollywood rivals the world’s most exciting travel destinations. Visitors can spend their days shopping in the colorful design district, lounging at a rooftop hotel pool, or visiting one of the area’s cultural attractions. And when the sun goes down, West Hollywood really heats up with world-class dining experiences and the legendary nightspots of The Sunset Strip and Santa Monica Blvd. The city’s small size and central location make it a friendly, walkable haven for travelers.

The West Hollywood Marketing & Visitors Bureau is a 501(c) non-profit organization dedicated to marketing the City of West Hollywood as a “living forward” visitor destination to business and leisure travelers by promoting awareness of the city’s unique location, image, businesses and industries and by providing support for the city’s economic development efforts. For more information on West Hollywood’s cutting edge businesses or to plan the ultimate getaway, please visit www.visitwesthollywood.com. For the latest offers and tips on living like a West Hollywood insider, visit www.WHinsiders.com.