Which Beverly Hills street will look most like the holidays this year? In past seasons the answer depended on taste. This season it depends on which city budget pays for the block. Some neighborhood streets are losing their colored lights and canopies. Rodeo Drive, three blocks away, is getting more overhead lighting than was first proposed.
The split is laid out in two City documents from this fall. One is a City Council study session report from September 1, 2026. The other is a September 22 report approving the purchase order for the Rodeo Drive event under the City's existing contract with its production company. Read together, they lay out a season that has fewer touches spread across the city and more at a few anchors.
The Budget Review That Reached the Lights
The citywide décor went through Beverly Hills' zero-based budget process this year. The City Council reviewed reductions at an April 21, 2026 study session. The goal passed down to the Rodeo Drive Committee's ad hoc group was to cut annual décor costs by 50%. The September 1 staff report says the city reached 37% for 2026 by removing some items and scaling back others instead of buying new parts and equipment.
Citywide décor is paid from a separate City capital improvement budget and through an agreement with Utopia Worldwide, Inc. That detail explains most of what follows. The streets where residents run errands are funded one way. Rodeo Drive is funded another.
What Goes Dark, Street by Street
The report lists these changes for 2026:
- The Jolly Trolley is discontinued.
- Banner uplighting is discontinued.
- La Cienega loses its colored lights and canopy spheres but keeps its year-round white twinkle lights.
- Camden Drive loses its colored lights and canopy décor and also keeps its year-round white twinkle lights.
- Citywide twinkle lights move from yearly replacement to every other year. Staff will also look at savings from lighting every other tree in some areas.
Losing the trolley is the change most likely to alter a family's December routine. The trolley itself isn't leaving the season entirely. The Rodeo Drive event plan includes a static photo opportunity with Santa, using the Beverly Hills trolley as a backdrop.
What Stays Lit
The cuts are selective. The 2026 citywide plan keeps warm white lights throughout the business district, along with the Santa and Reindeer Display and the Wilshire spans. Street spans on North Beverly and North Canon stay, and both remain white. Robertson Boulevard keeps its street pole lights and lighted garland with bows, and South Beverly keeps its canopy spheres.
Several of the holdovers are reused, not refreshed. Beverly Cañon Gardens keeps the same décor it has had for the past two years. The Lights on the Lily Pond show reuses earlier programming, and the number of reeds may be reduced if needed. The citywide banners hung in business areas are in their third year of the same design.
A few pieces are worth knowing by location:
- South Santa Monica Boulevard, west of Wilshire: snowflakes.
- The Triangle: bows and garland, plus background audio.
- City Hall: a static projection on the Crescent side.
- Beverly Gardens Park: the menorah scene and tree.
Rodeo Drive Gets More Light, Not Less
Rodeo Drive's décor comes from Transient Occupancy Tax revenue, the 14% tax collected on hotel room sales. For about 28 years, the city's tourism and marketing budget has been based on one-seventh of that revenue. Total approved spending on Rodeo Drive décor is $566,959.20.
The design changed during review. The first proposal strung four garlands across the street. The city found that the structural integrity of Rodeo Drive's street light poles made those garlands a potential safety issue. The production company, J. Ben Bourgeois Productions, known as JBB, proposed expanding the "dripping" lights that have hung in the center median palms for several years. The new plan adds them to every sidewalk palm and hangs 16 strands from sidewalk to median, up from the four garlands. The report says the new design costs the same as the budget Council had already approved for Rodeo Drive décor. Public Works found no risk to the trees or to pedestrians and vehicles.
The reasoning in the report is specific to this block. Rodeo Drive has a lot of construction right now. The Committee and Council wanted an overhead feature that draws the eye up and gives the street one unified look. The Rodeo Drive Committee's 50th anniversary also shapes this year's décor, the Beverly Hills Standard reported. The Committee also restated that it prefers to put money into décor that lasts all season over the one-night event.
November 19, Without a Headliner
The Rodeo Drive Holiday Lighting Celebration is on Thursday, November 19, from 5 to 8 p.m. Last year's was on Thursday, November 13, so this year's kickoff comes six days later in the month. The event has drawn up to 10,000 people in past years.
The program the Council approved has no headliner. In its place are three hours of stage entertainment at Brighton Way and Rodeo Drive:
- host Aly
- DJ Lady Sha
- vocalists The Noelles
- the Tenors
- an LED violinist
- a Pacific Islander-themed holiday performance
Special guest performers come from Debbie Allen Dance Academy, For the Record, The Wallis and West Side Ballet. Along the street there will be holiday skaters, stilt walkers, an oversized tricycle and Santa with his "red carpet security."
One slot on stage is reserved for the act chosen through "Rodeo Drive Has Talent," a performer search that is new this year. Applications ran from September 14 to October 12, and the selected act was scheduled to be announced October 20. The Beverly Press covered the open call when it launched in September.
The fireworks are paid for differently this year. The city's $667,575 share covers the core program. Keeping the holiday budget at its projected level left out the fireworks and a second wine garden. The Rodeo Drive Committee confirmed local sponsors Gearys, Auto Vault and Two Rodeo Drive for an estimated $45,000. The report notes the event has not traditionally used sponsors. That $45,000 covers a fireworks finale. A second wine garden depends on finding more sponsors. The Beverly Hills Standard reported that the Council approved the city's purchase order at its September 22 meeting, leaving the remaining $45,000 to sponsors. The visitor bureau's event listing advertises the fireworks finale along with Santa's arrival.
The plan also covers weather. Rain at the 2025 event required a $42,875 rain plan, only the second time in a decade that one was needed. This year, any rain coverage would come from a contingency in the tourism and marketing budget, outside the base purchase order.
The street closure lasts longer than the event. Here is what the city plans:
- When: Wednesday, November 18 at 9 p.m. through Friday, November 20 at 6 a.m.
- Where: Rodeo Drive from South Santa Monica Boulevard to Wilshire Boulevard, plus Dayton Way and Brighton Way from Rodeo to the alleys on either side.
- Parking: the Brighton Garage and Two Rodeo Garage stay reachable through the alleys. Access to the Rodeo Collection Garage on the 400 block was to be worked out with affected tenants.
The city plans to send resident notifications, and the Standard advises watching for final closure and access notices before event week.
December Moves to Greystone and Beverly Gardens Park
After Rodeo Drive, the season's events move to two other anchors, and one of them has grown.
- Holidays at Greystone, December 5–6 and 12–13. Greystone Mansion & Gardens, at 905 Loma Vista Drive, has added a second weekend. Last year's event ran one weekend, December 6–7, with timed 90-minute tickets, the Beverly Hills Courier reported. The Platinum Tribune reported that ticketing information was expected on October 26. As of its September 30 report, prices, daily hours and parking details had not been announced. One family-events listing gives hours of 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., but the city's Greystone event page is the place to confirm current details.
- Community Menorah Lighting, Monday, December 7, 5 p.m. It takes place next to the menorah display at Beverly Gardens Park and is led by the Mayor. Hanukkah begins on Friday, December 4. The city moved the lighting to the fourth night so it would not conflict with the Sabbath.
- Bach: The Christmas Oratorio, Sunday, December 20, 4 p.m. The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra performs at The Wallis in the Bram Goldsmith Theater, conducted by Jaime Martín. Soprano Amanda Forsythe and singers from the Los Angeles Master Chorale join the orchestra.
Greystone's added weekend comes in the same year the trolley was cut. The calendar has fewer events spread across the city, and the remaining ones carry more of the season.
Seasonal décor is part of what a buyer sees on a December showing, and this year it depends on the street. If you'd like to hear how a particular block reads through the seasons, Jonas Heller is glad to share what he knows. Request a private consultation.
