West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval Theme Will Be 'Noir Nights'

The following is a press release from the city of West Hollywood. 

Held annually every October 31st, the West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval sees nearly 500,000 people take to the streets of West Hollywood to enjoy the some of the most creative and eclectic entertainment and costume creations around. The West Hollywood Halloween Costume Carnaval will be held from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. along Santa Monica Boulevard from Doheny Drive to La Cienega Boulevard.  Admission is free.

The Carnaval will include three large stages featuring various themes and entertainers.  In all, over 50 Artists will perform on 6 stages all along Santa Monica Blvd.  Two of the evening’s highlights will be crowning of an Honorary “Queen of the Carnaval” and a showcase of the evening’s most creative and outrageous costumes.

This year’s Halloween Carnaval theme is Noir Night. 1950’s Noir underscored a classic era for West Hollywood lifestyle and culture – a place where Bogart and Lana Turner became entangled, and where Keystone Cops and the first paparazzi graphic photographers staked their claim. For City Of West Hollywood’s 2013 edition of Halloween Carnaval, we will resurrect this famous era with a lot of tongue-in-cheek, humorous throwback to the great noir films of the time. An environment that is slightly dangerous, slightly improper, with capers played out on dark corners, yet undeniably glamorous, stylish and sassy.

The Noir City stage on Santa Monica Boulevard and San Vicente Boulevard will be emceed by Jeffrey Damnitand include performances by the house band Vaud & The Villains, a staged performance from new LGBT musicalBehind Closed Doors, and a variety of cabaret and choreography from Halloween Hullabaloo. A performance highlight will include operatic arias from 21-year-old Jonathan Allen of “America’s Got Talent.”

The Speakeasy stage located at Santa Monica Boulevard and Almont Drive will feature 1950’s crooner Lynda Kay, the hilarious singer/songwriter duo Better Off Blonde, and the smooth noir jazz stylings of The Toledo Show. Femme fatale and West Hollywood Carnaval legend, Momma, will return to emcee the stage. 

At the Pulp Friction stage located at Santa Monica Boulevard and West Knoll Drive, Coco Peru plays Nightclub Chanteuse in Drag at the Coco Club.  This stage will include performances by the electric Gavin Turek and full electronic dance set from rising international DJ Zen Freeman. Zen’s set will feature special vignette performances by contemporary burlesque dance troupe Velvet Martini and other guest DJs.

Three additional stages will continue Carnaval’s recent tradition to encourage audience interaction. DJ Moses Truzman and emcee Peter Giovine will perform at The Caper Club stage, located at Westbourne Drive and Santa Monica Boulevard; DJ Max Von Ville and emcee Ant will perform at the Ant’s Asylum stage, located at North Palm Drive and Santa Monica Boulevard; and DJ Aaron Colbert will spin at the Hooligans Hall stage located at North La Peer Drive and Santa Monica Boulevard.

Public parking for the West Hollywood Halloween Costume Carnaval will be available at parking lots throughout West Hollywood.   Find the City of West Hollywood on Facebook and follow @wehocity on Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #WEHOhalloween and show the world how we celebrate!  

The “West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval” in West Hollywood began in 1987; three years after the City was incorporated.  The West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval is the Los Angeles area’s second largest annual event, second only to the Tournament of Roses New Year’s Day Parade.  

For more information about the West Hollywood Halloween Costume Carnaval, call the City of West Hollywood’s Halloween Hotline at (323) 848-6503 or visit www.weho.org.