Community Corner

150,000 Holiday Lights to Brighten Up Rodeo Drive

The Beverly Hills Holiday Lighting Ceremony features artists creating life-size ice sculptures with chainsaws, New York-based DJ's spinning holiday favorites and much more.

A spectacular shimmering glow of nearly 150,000 lights will shine down on Rodeo Drive for the first time this holiday season during the annual Beverly Hills Holiday Lighting Ceremony. 

The festivities will feature artists creating life-size ice sculptures with chainsaws, chic New York-based DJ’s spinning holiday favorites with a twist, Mr. Kringle and the Beverly Hills High School Marching Band heralding the arrival of the 2013 Holidays. 

The seasonal spectacular will culminate with the lighting of the holiday lights glistening throughout the city. It takes place on Sunday, Nov. 24 beginning at 5 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. on the 200 block of Rodeo Drive at Wilshire Boulevard in front of 2 Rodeo Drive and the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

The ceremony is open to the public.

Lining the median of Rodeo Drive between Santa Monica and Wilshire Boulevards will be 19 brilliantly lit birch trees, 42 iridescent palm trees and hundreds of vibrant red poinsettias. Picturesque holiday banners will be displayed along the street, along with sparkling stars suspended in the air above.

2 Rodeo Drive and the Beverly Wilshire will be radiant with more than 50,000 lights in celebration of the holiday season with another 100,000 red and white twinkle lights along the famed boulevard.

“This year’s lighting ceremony and décor is going to be spectacular,” said Mayor John Mirisch. "I encourage all residents and visitors to spend time in Beverly Hills and on Rodeo Drive to experience both the classic holiday decorations, such as the Santa Claus and reindeer over Wilshire Boulevard and the twinkling lights and new additions this year. This very special atmosphere makes Beverly Hills one of the great holiday shopping destinations around.”

For the annual holiday lighting ceremony, artists from Ice Bulb will carve 6,000 pounds of ice with chainsaws to create dazzling life-size holiday décor, including snowflakes and a oversized switch, which will be used during the lighting ceremony to “turn on” the lights. Using the latest technology to create this dynamic décor, the Ice Bulb artists will begin carving the holiday creation at 5:30 p.m.

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“Rodeo Drive’s classic holiday décor celebrates the season with artistry and style,” said Jim Jahant, president of the Rodeo Drive Committee. “The elegant décor will create a festive atmosphere for the Beverly Hills community and all of Rodeo Drive’s visitors during the holiday season.”

Providing the hip holiday soundtrack to the lighting ceremony will be New York-based AndrewAndrew, the identically-dressed, world’s first iPod/iPad DJs. Fresh off their featured appearance on HBO’s Girls, these “Taste Jockeys” can be found from Brooklyn to Bergdorfs and all around the world. They will be doing a special mix of traditional Holiday music with lounge and house beats. AndrewAndrew’s modern holiday soundtrack will begin at 5 p.m. 

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“Whether you are an art connoisseur, a DJ aficionado, a family with kids or a member of the Beverly Hills community, we’ve tried to include something magical for everyone,” said Shermeen Greenmum, chairman of this year’s holiday festivities.

The 50-piece Beverly Hills High School Marching Band will herald the official lighting of the lights at 6 p.m.

Starting at 4 p.m, guests can meet Santa Claus and his merry entourage live on Rodeo Drive at the bottom of the Via Rodeo at 2 Rodeo. Professional photos with Mr. Kringle will be available for $29.99 on USB flash until 7 p.m.

Spectators attending will be invited to be a sparkling part of the festivities by wearing complimentary magnetic wearable twinkle lights to help celebrate the arrival of the Holiday Season to Beverly Hills.

For more information, visit www.rodeodrive-bh.com.


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