In addition to being one a world-famous tourist attraction, the Hollywood Walk of Fame is a high-profile honor. “This is the only award that can be shared with the fans,” Ana Martinez, producer of the Walk of Fame ceremonies, tells Billboard. “The Oscar, the Grammy, the Tony is in somebody’s home. This one is on the sidewalk. [Fans] can sit next to it. They can pose with it. It’s an interactive award.”

The Walk of Fame, which originated in 1960, consists of more than 2,700 stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Los Angeles.

The Walk of Fame awards stars in six categories – motion pictures, television, radio, recording, live theatre/performance and sports entertainment. The Walk of Fame committee receives an average of 200 applications a year, according to Martinez, from which it accepts between 24 and 30.

Martinez, whose formal title is vice president of media relations, has been at the Walk of Fame since 1987. (Her clever tag line under her name on news announcements: “Handling the stars for many moons.”)

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is now accepting nominations for the 2024 class of Hollywood Walk of Fame inductions. Nominations opened on Friday, April 28 at 12 p.m. PT and will close on Friday, May 26 at 12 p.m. PT. All nominations will be considered at the annual Walk of Fame committee meeting to be held in June. New selections will be announced in mid-to-late June.

Since a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is a world-famous form of recognition, we dug into the rules and regulations that govern the awarding of stars. Here are 10 surprises in the Hollywood Walk of Fame rule book:

https://www.billboard.com/lists/hollywood-walk-of-fame-rules-regulations-surprising/