The City of Palm Springs and the Palm Springs Plaza Theatre will host a free Community Open House and Block Party to showcase the newly restored theatre on Saturday November 22 from 10 am to 2 pm. Docent-led tours of the extensively restored structure will be offered throughout the day, showcasing the extraordinarily detailed restoration and infrastructure improvement work that has been taking place at the theatre since 2023. The tours will highlight important elements that have been preserved and also showcase the new state-of-the-art technology that has been incorporated into the theatre. This is the first time that the public will be able to view the newly restored venue on their own.

“We anticipate that the public will be thrilled and impressed with the theatre’s appearance,” said Palm Springs Mayor Ron deHarte. “The Plaza Theatre had long been the jewel of Palm Springs, but over the years the condition of the building had declined. When the City took possession of this aging historic structure, we realized that it needed to return to its original splendor. I am so pleased that after all the hard work by the Palm Springs Plaza Theatre Foundation, City staff, the architects, and the construction crew that this beautiful building now appears as it did when it first opened in 1936 and will once again be a cultural center for the community.” 

In addition to tours, free live performances will be presented throughout the day on the theatre’s stage, spotlighting appearances by several of the community arts organizations that will make the Plaza Theatre their new home. Performers include Modern Men: Coachella Valley Men’s Chorus at 10 AM, Coachella Valley Voices at 11 AM, Palm Springs Gay Men's Chorus at 12 PM, and Musical Theatre University at 1 PM. 

South Palm Canyon Drive from Tahquitz Canyon Way to La Plaza will be closed to traffic that day and transformed into a festival space offering booths from community groups, music by DJ Mod Girl, and much more. Community booths will highlight local organizations. There is no cost to participate in the Grand Re-Opening festivities, and the theatre will be open to the public for the first time since the restoration started.  Participants may also book specific guided tour times at a booth in front of the theatre on the day of the event. The theatre’s Box Office will also be open if attendees wish to purchase any tickets for upcoming shows with no convenience fees.

Newly created Plaza Theatre merchandise (including hats, shirts, tote bags, and more) will be available for sale. Attendees will be able to pre-order a new book about the Plaza Theatre called “Desert Dream to Silver Screen,” which tells the fascinating tale of the theatre’s origins, its illustrious past and many connections to Hollywood, and the massive project that fully restored the aging theatre. Attendees may also pre-order “Rock The Plaza: Concert To Save The Historic Plaza Theatre In Palm Springs,” offered as LP or CD. The recording was made on November 11, 2022 at a fundraiser for the restoration. 

To finance this extensive restoration, the Palm Springs Plaza Theatre Foundation conducted a multi-year fundraising campaign to raise the funds that were needed to fully restore the iconic theatre and adapt it to future needs. It is in the process of raising the remaining funds needed.

“This historic restoration has been a challenging and rewarding project for everyone involved,” said J.R. Roberts, President of the Plaza Theatre Foundation. “It would not have been possible to accomplish this monumental project so quickly without the extraordinary work of our Board and construction team, which ensured that this project was able to proceed without delays and allow us to reopen this vital Palm Springs icon.”

John Bolton of Oak View Group (OVG) is OVG Senior Vice President and General Manager of the theatre. Cynthia Erivo, the iconic voice behind Wicked’s “Defying Gravity,” will headline the Plaza Theatre’s spectacular Opening Night Gala on Monday, December 1, 2025, marking the official beginning of a new era for Palm Springs’ most beloved stage. Tickets for this exclusive performance, and many others, are available at palmspringsplazatheatre.com.

“It is an honor to be so closely aligned with such an important cultural venue for the entire Coachella Valley,” said Bolton. “I am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to launch two iconic venues in the Coachella Valley – the Acrisure Arena and now, the Plaza Theatre. I couldn’t ask for a better experience in a community that I love dearly. The Plaza Theatre's restoration is not just about preserving history, it is about revitalizing our community and improving the quality of life by providing a welcoming space for the arts to thrive.”

In 2023, the City contracted Architectural Resources Group, Inc. to create the final design of the reimagined structure and oversee the renovation of the Plaza Theatre. Previously, Architectural Resources Group had completed theater restoration and historic projects of similar scope including the New Mission Theater in San Francisco and The Alameda Theater. The firm’s team of architects, historians, and conservators were instrumental in the success of the Plaza Theatre restoration.

 

“We were honored to be selected by the City of Palm Springs to lead this important historic restoration project,” said Katie Horak, Principal of Architectural Resources Group. “While much of the original design and materials of the theater were still intact, many had deteriorated or were covered up, and the building needed to be brought up to today’s standards and codes. Plus, we had to devise a way to artfully incorporate 21st century technology into a ninety-year-old building. All historic buildings bring their own unique challenges and surprises, and we could not be more pleased with the outcome at Plaza Theatre. We congratulate the City for having the foresight and determination to save this important structure.” 

It is estimated that after the Theatre reopens it will accommodate approximately 135,000 patrons per year who will potentially generate more than $40 million in incremental spending and provide more than $4 million direct economic impact to the city through sales and transient occupancy taxes. Early data from ticket purchasers indicates that approximately 50% are from outside the Coachella Valley. The Theatre will also provide general fund and Measure J revenue through sales tax, hotel tax, and economic impact through direct and indirect spending. Small business support through economic impact downtown and citywide is estimated to be at least $21M per year.

For more information about the Theatre and the Foundation, including naming opportunities, please visit PalmSpringsPlazaTheatre.com.

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