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| Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood (Courtesy Oscars®) |
What Happens After the Oscars? Follow the Escalators.
When the last statuette is handed out at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on March 15, 2026, the televised show ends. For about 1,500 guests, the night continues upstairs.
They follow the escalators up to the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood, where the Governors Ball — the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ official post‑Oscars® celebration — returns for its 67th year, immediately following the 98th Oscars ceremony. Stage lighting is replaced by softer illumination; the room is designed to feel both cinematic and more intimate than the theater below.
The event is a party, but it is also a tightly planned production.
The Room: Soft Light, Big Drama
The décor establishes the mood. This year, the palette leans into warm metallic tones, mirrored surfaces, and large‑scale floral installations, all intended to photograph well and create a sense of depth in the space.
Many of the choices are functional as well as visual. Battery‑operated LED candles stand in for wax. Energy‑efficient LED fixtures light the room. Floral arrangements sit in reusable glass vases, and the floral foam used is biodegradable. After the event, fresh flowers and greenery are composted, and a portion of the arrangements is delivered to shelters and hospitals.
The build itself is designed with reuse in mind. The Academy reports that 70 percent of fabrication materials are reused, recycled, or composted. Hardware and plywood are retained and reused in subflooring. Lighting, audio, rigging equipmen,t and furniture are rented or repurposed across events. Additional recycling bins are placed throughout the footprint of the event.
Wolfgang Puck, Year 32
In the kitchen, Wolfgang Puck Catering marks its 32nd year at the Governors Ball. The menu is created by Wolfgang Puck and Eric Klein, with pastry design by Garry Larduinat and Kamel Guechida.
The food must be plated at speed and at scale for guests who have often not eaten a full meal during the broadcast. Since 2013, more than 50 percent of the offerings at the Governors Ball have been plant‑based or vegetarian. Food is responsibly sourced, sustainably farmed, or listed on the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch recommendation list. After the event, the remaining food is donated to Chefs to End Hunger, and food scraps that are not donated are composted.
Wolfgang Puck Catering, founded in 1998, provides special event, restaurant,and workplace dining services in markets including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, Austin, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Atlanta. The company is part of Compass Group North America, based in Charlotte, N.C.
The Drinks: A Cultural Signal
The drinks program has its own recurring players. Tequila Don Julio returns for its ninth consecutive year, with a cocktail menu co‑created by Charles Joly and Lorenzo Antinori of Bar Leone, named the World’s Best Bar. Three signature drinks are on offer:
“The Sequel,” with Tequila Don Julio 1942
“Best in Show,” with Tequila Don Julio Blanco
“After Glow,” a non‑alcoholic option
Wine service is handled by Clarendelle & Domaine Clarence Dillon, which, for the fourth year in a row, provides the exclusive red, white, and rosé wines poured at the Governors Ball and other Oscars‑related events.
Sustainability Is Now Part of the Brief
The Academy has made sustainability a formal priority across its programs, buildings, and initiatives, with a stated goal of operating as an environmentally responsible organization and ultimately reaching carbon neutrality. Its efforts around the Oscars and the Governors Ball are part of that plan. To learn more about the Academy’s ongoing efforts, the organization directs readers to Oscars.org/Sustainability.
For attendees and staff, some of the changes are visible from the start. All Oscar attendees and staff receive the Academy’s Sustainability Style Guide, which is intended to introduce sustainable practices to red carpet and awards‑season fashion and encourage responsible choices for both special events and everyday style. The Academy is implementing sustainability practices identified by Three Squares Inc. from a carbon‑footprint assessment and works with Black Pearl to educate event guests and staff about sustainable fashion practices. It also partners with Rent The Runway to offer working staff access to more sustainable clothing options.
Transportation and logistics are addressed as well. Guests are encouraged to carpool or use rideshare for Oscar‑season events. Single‑use plastic water bottles have been eliminated; water refill systems and canned water are provided where needed in production and event environments. Tickets, parking passes, and event details are distributed digitally. After the event, a sustainability survey is sent to attendees. The Academy notes that it works with vendors, suppliers, and partners who are also committed to sustainability.
Behind the scenes, technical details reflect the same priorities. Energy‑efficient LED lights and battery‑operated LED candles are used throughout the space. Rechargeable batteries are used and recycled in headsets and microphone transmitters. Plastics labeled #1, #2, and #5, along with metal, glass, paper, and cardboard, are recycled.
Upstairs, a Controlled Environment
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences describes itself as the world's premier film organization and has a membership of more than 11,000 film industry artists and leaders worldwide. The 98th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC, streamed live on Hulu, and broadcast in more than 200 territories.
The ceremony downstairs is global. The Governors Ball upstairs is more contained: an event where food, décor, logistics, and waste can be measured and adjusted year over year. It remains the night’s most exclusive party — but it is also where the Academy is testing how an awards‑season fixture can be both lavish and deliberately managed.
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