Make your next Screenland 5K experience on Academy Awards Sunday in the Heart of Screenland unforgettable, whether you run for fun or race to see “who's the fastest of them all!” There are events for everyone, so follow the yellow brick road, retracing the steps of fabled stars & directors in 100 iconic scenes filmed across your journey along legendary studios in celebration of the centennials of MGM & Culver Hotel. Bring along your friends and family and come make movie magic! With epic shirts and medals, fabulous activities and screen characters to cheer you on, this is a weekend you'll remember happily ever after!
WOBBLY RIDECan they go the distance? Will the Culver City Firefighters soar like Olympians or stumble like the slapstick Keystone Cops when they follow the yellow brick road on a five-seat bicycle in a wobbly start to the Screenland 5K. The farther they cycle, the more dollars for charity! In disrepair, the bike was overhauled in 1986, noted retired Culver City Building Maintenance Supervisor Steve Newton. "I was afraid to touch the bike much less ride it! It was unwieldy, just impossible to ride, and it still is," said Newton. CC Fire Dept. Battalion Chief Ron Kohlhepp predicts the bike might go 80 yards and after that "we never know what it will do." 
Firefighters in full rescue gear will run the 3.1 mile course, including the Mike McCormick Memorial Mile, and pedal in the Celebrity Charity Trike Races. Firemen pictured on the shiny red bike (from left) are Cameron Soden, Matt McCormick, Doug Furano, Brett Nagel and Joe LaRiccia.
Visit the Screenland 5K Health and Fitness Expo at Ivy Center, Sat., Mar. 9, 1:00-4:00 pm, and Oscar Sunday morning featuring packet pickup, goodies, entertainment, awards & prizes, screen character photo ops, race warm-up, and complimentary bike, scooter and gear check. Limited subterranean parking at Ivy Station is free, or visit conveniently by metro, bus or other forms of public transportation.
Home grown performers dazzle Screenland 5K guests along the course, performing tunes from several of the 100 points of iconic motion picture lore.
Race dressed as your favorite personality or screen character to win prizes, adulation and a loaded movie contract. Police chief Jason Sims and Mayor Albert Vera (pictured) are ready to run! The first female of color to serve on the City Council, Glinda the Good Witch Yasmine-Imani McMorrin (pictured), will sprinkle pixie dust on Screenland 5K guests. Her daughter Yvonne will portray Dorothy of Culver City's Academy Award-winning Wizard of Oz. Awards will be presented in several individual and team categories.
Event Grand Marshal & four-time Mayor Paul Jacobs, Olympic gold medalist hurdler LaShinda Demus, and marathon walker medalist & California Teacher of the Year Sandy Checel will pass the torch among world champions, stars and Screenland 5K guests. The torch relay commemorates the Heart of Screenland's longstanding relationship with the modern Olympic Games, the city’s very own Western Hemisphere Marathon and memories of local heroes who exemplified the Olympic spirit. Culver City leaders and the Screenland 5K are fostering the Olympic spirit by creating activities in the year of the 2024 Paris Olympics through the 2028 LA Summer Games. Demus, who coaches the State Champion Culver City High School track team, is a two-time Olympian hurdler, national high school and NCAA champion, and the first US woman to win the Olympic 400m hurdles gold. Also participating will be senior Olympics gold medalist and multi-year national and world title long jumper John Kuechle, world champion rhythmic gymnasts, and former Southern California Olympians officer Tom Mills.
The youngest racers will embark on a magical run to the Emerald City in the Munchkin Dash presented by Walk 'n Rollers. Every future movie star (to age 12) goes home a medal winner after getting high fives by screen characters on the red carpet in the fun untimed event. The Munchkin Dash will be divided into age groups and run in staggered starts.
If you think the Culver City firefighters attempt to maneuver an unwieldy five-seat contraption to start the Screenland 5K will be nerve-wracking, wait until you watch local celebrities steer tricycles on the yellow brick road for their favorite Screenland 5K nonprofits in the Celebrity Charity Trike Race.
Local superheroes Vice Mayor Yasmine Imani-McMorrin, the Culver City Council, Board of Education members, police officers and firefighters, Olympians and teachers will pedal for their favorite charities at 10:25 AM following the Munchkin Kids Dash on Oscar Sunday morning at Ivy Station. Police Chief Jason Sims and Mayor Albert Vera are dressed up to run in the 5K and pedal in the Charity Trike Race.
PLAY AROUND, THEN RUN AROUNDPrior to the race celebrate 100 years of motion picture magic by experiencing Culver City streets during Play Streets! Enjoy leisure, dining and the Points of Lore walking tour during this free attraction, 7:00-9:00 am., in a car-free environment. The activity supports Glinda the Good Witch Yasmine-Ismani McMorrin's efforts to “activate” public spaces and thoroughfares for all ages, races and ethnicities where cars typically dominate.
POLICE PACERA vintage Culver City Police Car will pace the Screenland 5K, but its owner doesn’t know how far or long it will go. Retired Culver City Building Maintenance Supervisor Steve Newton, who owns and rebuilt the 1930's-era antique vehicle 15 years ago, said it’s a crapshoot. He converted his Model A into the vintage crime fighter by installing parts from his collection and from a friend's police car. "I keep it looking original by not cleaning or shining it," said Newton. Newton built his father, a retired Culver City mailman of four decades, a replica mail truck. In better condition than the vintage pace car, Culver City's finest are ready to run to prepare for the grueling annual Baker to Vegas relay marathon this Spring.
The Culver City Police Dept. Baker to Vegas relay marathon 2023 gold medalists and other officers will lead the vintage police pace car. Pictured officers are (from left) Lt. Chris Caraballo, Asst Chief Troy Dunlap, Lt. Ryan Thompson, Officer Kywan Owens and Officer Kevin Ramirez.
Thanks to the wizardry of four Culver City film historians and a cast of Hollywood's greatest stars, Screenland 5K guests will follow the yellow brick road into 100 years of motion picture magic on Oscar Sunday, March 10, 2024, in Culver City, the Heart of Screenland, where “Hollywood” movies are made. You will retrace the steps of fabled stars & directors in 100 iconic scenes filmed across your journey along legendary studios in celebration of the centennials of MGM, Culver Hotel and the former Meralta Theater. Event Showrunner and Creative Director Lori Escalera, film historians Chris Bungo and Marc Wanamaker, and Culver City Historical Society Officers Hope Parrish and Maureen Fleming have made the streets of the Screenland 5K come alive with their love of cinema. Escalera meticulously cited the most significant performances among the more than 500 scenes that were filmed along the Screenland 5K course over the past century. The 100 Points of Motion Picture Lore brochure retraces where Aladdin flew on a magic carpet, Spanky and Our Gang committed memorable antics, and 98 more scenes where residents regularly heard, “Lights, Cameras, Action!”
Participate with Culver City Pickleball ambassadors Dora Corral and Matt Denoff (pictured as Beetlejuice and Batman) at the Health and Fitness Expo in the world’s fastest growing sport.
Kids can run, tumble and roll in the “Everything Counts for Kids” obstacle course by Culver City’s Debbie and J.T. Moye at the Health and Fitness Expo.
Your journey along the 100 Points of Motion Picture Magic will follow the 2017 Culver City Centennial Celebration Trail 100 points of lore:
Your Screenland 5K adventure includes:
