“Dancing in the Street” will be the theme this Sunday, April 27 for the BH100 Centennial Block Party on Rodeo Drive, which is set to close to traffic between Santa Monica Boulevard and Wilshire Boulevard for the event.
The once-in-a-lifetime block party for residents and visitors will take place from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The centerpiece of the centennial celebration will be a one-of-a-kind birthday cake presented by the Luxe Hotel Rodeo Drive and Guittard Chocolate Company’s corporate executive pastry chef, Donald Wressell.
The cake will stand approximately 10-feet high, 15-feet wide, 20-feet long and will weigh nearly 4,000 pounds, depicting the iconic Beverly Hills City Hall tower and Rodeo Drive. The cake is anticipated to serve approximately 15,000 slices to community members at 6 p.m.
Just before the cake is cut, and to celebrate the “Dancing in the Street” theme, a special performance by Motown recording artist Martha Reeves will include the hit song, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
Reeves was the lead singer of Martha and the Vandellas. During her ten-year tenure at Motown, Reeves and her partners scored 26 hit singles, including “Nowhere to Run,” “Jimmy Mack,” and “Heat Wave.”
Adding to the “Dancing in the Street” theme will be Citrus College’s 20-piece dance band “Night Shift” performing from 3:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
At 5:45 pm, an elaborately choreographed dance performance will feature nearly 20 dance groups from across Southern California, including dancers from Arthur Murray Beverly Hills and Nu Nations, one of the nation’s top adult hip hop dance crews.
On the 400 block of Rodeo Drive, 15 carnival games will feature special prizes themed to the anniversary.
Beverly Hills themed prizes include, special limited edition BH100 Lima Beans celebrating the city’s location as one of the largest lima bean farms in California and Centennial tree seedlings to plant; a tribute to Giorgio Beverly Hills with plush yellow and white striped cabana towels and flip flops; a tribute to the Beverly Hills Hotel with all things pink including Barbie dolls and fashion; and pet-friendly plush toys including “Sniffany & Co.” and “Chewy Vuitton.” Games are $3 each.
The event is a collaboration between the Rodeo Drive Committee and the City of Beverly Hills.
