On Nov. 21, the Rodeo Drive-Special Events-Holiday Program Committee heard a request from the McCourt Foundation regarding the 2025 Los Angeles Marathon, scheduled for March 16. The marathon, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary, is expected to cause street closures along its 26.2-mile course. The liaisons also considered a request from Vanity Fair for sidewalk closures during its Academy Awards Dinner and Post-Oscar Party. Liaisons Mayor Friedman and Councilmember Mary Wells both expressed support for the events.
Patty Betancourt, special events and filming coordinator, presented the LA Marathon’s route, which spans from Dodger Stadium to Century City and passes by several Beverly Hills attractions. With 25,000 participants, the LA Marathon is one of the most well-attended races in Southern California. The route allows marathon participants to pass by Beverly Hills restaurants, shops and hotels. Betancourt explained that, with safety in mind, the marathon requires significant street closures while minimizing disruption to residents and businesses. Beverly Hills traffic control will be on-site throughout the day to manage traffic and ensure businesses remain accessible to patrons until the marathon concludes at 6 p.m. Letters of notification will be distributed to affected businesses.
“This is our 40th anniversary so it’s an exciting year for us,” said Murphy Reinschreiber, COO of the McCourt Foundation. “Our plan is not to grow the race this year, even though we have considerably more demand for the race than ever.”
Wells and Friedman voiced support for the marathon and approved the street closures to move forward to the full council. “I love this event, and I love that it’s in Beverly Hills. As a family, we’ve always gone out to cheer on the runners,” said Wells. She noted that the traffic detours should account for ongoing construction in Beverly Hills.
Friedman stressed the importance of informing residents on how to navigate the city during street closures. He suggested traffic control officers provide directional cards to drivers looking for alternate routes. “This is a great event. It’s a signature event for the city; I’m really looking forward to it,” he concluded.
The liaisons also heard a request from Vanity Fair regarding street and sidewalk closures for Oscar events on March 2, 2025. Additionally, Vanity Fair requested a three-year agreement from 2025 to 2028. Betancourt stated that the event, attended by celebrities, media and high-profile guests, requires street and sidewalk closures to ensure safety. Vanity Fair also requested a partial waiver of the street closure permit fee.
“We’ve had the Oscar party in Beverly Hills for nine years, and I would like to continue that. It’s been a great location. Not only do we have the event there, but we use a lot of the businesses and hotels in the surrounding area,” said Sarah Marks, director of special projects at Vanity Fair. She added that the high permit fees would make it difficult for Vanity Fair to continue hosting the event in Beverly Hills.
Wells spoke to support Vanity Fair’s relationship with the city. “I think it’s nice for us to have this event in Beverly Hills. It’s a great match from a profile standpoint and really elevates the city’s profile, which is exactly what we’re looking for,” said Wells.
Friedman supported Vanity Fair’s request for a fee waiver, recognizing the benefit to Beverly Hills from hosting such a high-profile event. “I think the benefit to the city is one that I would certainly be supportive of continuing the waiver, as long as we use the cost-of-living adjustment for each of the years, as we have in the past,” he said. The council discussed the importance of clear communication and coordination with local businesses to minimize inconvenience.
Marks emphasized Vanity Fair’s support of local businesses in Beverly Hills during the Academy Awards events. “We try to stick within Beverly Hills and use the restaurants and shops that we can find. We have more than 300 room nights at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.”
The approval requests for the LA Marathon and Vanity Fair’s Academy Awards Dinner and Post-Oscar Party will be forwarded to the full City Council for final consideration.
