The Hollywood Walk of Fame in California
Follow Stars for Free along Hollywood Blvd
This attraction, embedded in the very sidewalks of Hollywood, has served for over fifty years to honor people who have made important contributions to the entertainment industry.
The History of the Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Walk of Fame was originally conceived in 1958, but wasn’t officially opened until February 9, 1960, with the placement of the first star that honored actress Joanne Woodward. In 1978, the city of Los Angeles designated the Walk of Fame as a Historical and Cultural Monument.
Each “star” is cast in bronze, with the name of each artist and a distinctive emblem identifying in which of the five categories - Motion Pictures, Television, Radio, Recording or Live Theatre - the recipient has been honored. Each bronze star is then embedded in pink terrazzo and surrounded by charcoal terrazzo squares.
The only exception to the design is found at the corner of Hollywood and Vine, where the crew of the Apollo XI moon mission are honored with four identical moons inside the squares, instead of bronze stars.
The Walk of Fame runs both sides of Hollywood Blvd. from Gower to La Brea, as well as both sides of Vine Street from Yucca to Sunset. At the point where the walk starts at La Brea, you’ll find the stars of The Beatles and Elvis Presley in front of the Silver Four Ladies of Hollywood Gazebo.
How a Star is Chosen to Be Added
There were originally 2,500 blank stars added at the time of construction. So far 2,386 have been used, and a new star is issued at the rate of one or two a month. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has a searchable database for locations of specific stars.
Stars can be nominated by themselves, managers, public relations people or fans. However, they must agree to attend a presentation ceremony within five years of selection, and a $25,000 fee must be paid to cover the costs of the ceremony.
Once the star is nominated and agrees to the terms, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce "Walk of Fame Committee" will then decide if they will be included in each year’s batch of honorees. This list is announced each June for the following year.
Upcoming Stars to be Honored on the Walk of Fame
The only thing better than following the stars on the Walk of Fame is witnessing one being given out. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has a complete list of each year’s recipients, and also lists dates for each ceremony up to two weeks in advance.
But whether witnessing an actual ceremony or just playing “spot the star,” the Hollywood Walk of Fame is a free attraction that should be on every budget travelers list of things to do in Hollywood. Not to mention photos of the stars themselves make great free souvenirs from the trip.
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