At a study session on Sept. 10, City Council discussed the $1 million budget for the 2024 Rodeo Drive Holiday Lighting Celebration, one of the city’s largest and most widely recognized events. During the meeting, some of the councilmembers speculated whether or not it was necessary to spend so much on the holidays. However, the Rodeo Drive Committee advocated for their event and the council ultimately approved the $1,028,996 budget, plus $524,502 for Rodeo Drive holiday decor. Later at the meeting, with less contention, the entire council agreed on a design for temporary memorial signs that will be displayed at Beverly Gardens Park in honor of the victims of the Hamas’ attacks on Oct. 7, 2023.
Plans for the 2024 Holiday Lighting Celebration were originally presented at a Rodeo Drive Committee liaison meeting on Aug. 12. At that meeting, Mayor Lester Friedman and Councilmember Mary Wells approved designs for the holiday banners that will be displayed on street poles throughout the city and discussed the food and entertainment that will be featured at the ceremony on Nov. 14. They announced that this year’s event will feature one main stage instead of three and will not include a headliner. Instead, musicians like NBC SongLand winner Greg Scott, the UCLA a cappella group ScatterTones and students from Beverly Hills High School’s Center for Performing Arts will provide entertainment.
