Hollywood has an odd little law on its books: for 36 hours around Halloween, Silly String is banned. Not discouraged — banned, with penalties of up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail. The rule has been in force since 2004, and if you're planning a spooky-season trip to Los Angeles, it's worth knowing before you wander Hollywood Boulevard with a can in your pocket.
The ordinance covers the LAPD's Hollywood Division — Hollywood proper, East Hollywood, Los Feliz, the Hollywood Hills and nearby neighborhoods. It runs from midnight on October 31 until noon on November 1, and it prohibits possessing, using, selling or distributing the stuff, not just spraying it. Vendors can't hawk it on the street either.
Why so dramatic? Because Halloween crowds once turned the Walk of Fame into a sticky neon mess. Street vendors sold cans up and down Hollywood Boulevard, revellers sprayed with abandon, and the string clung to sidewalks, cars and the star plaques themselves. Property owners reportedly faced cleanup bills of up to $200,000 after a single Halloween. City crews were left scraping the stuff off the pavement for days. There was an environmental angle too: the plastic string could clog storm drains and eventually wash out to sea. After years of this, the ban passed in August 2004.
Enforcement, to be honest, is pretty relaxed. The Los Angeles Times counted just one arrest and zero citations between 2009 and 2022. But plenty of locals still back the rule — one Reddit user recalled how people would drive over the hill from the Valley purely to make a mess, while another simply noted it "must have been hell to clean up."
Hollywood isn't the only place with string-related legislation. New Orleans bans selling Silly String along Mardi Gras parade routes, and the LA council file even names it as inspiration. Beverly Hills goes Halloween-specific: anyone under 21 can't use Silly String, shaving cream or even hair removal products on October 31.
For travellers, the takeaway is simple. Halloween in Hollywood is genuinely fun — the Boulevard draws big costumed crowds, and the neighbourhood's fall atmosphere is a draw in itself. Just skip the canned string. If you want festive chaos, there's no shortage of alternatives: haunted houses, spooky screenings at historic theatres, and people-watching along the Walk of Fame are all legal and far less sticky. And if you're visiting elsewhere in California that week, remember Beverly Hills has its own youth-specific rules on the same night. Pack a costume, leave the aerosol novelties at home, and you'll have nothing to worry about.
