Palm Springs Mayor Naomi Soto will present an official proclamation honoring the Historic Camelot Theatre during the opening night of the Palm Springs 70mm Fest on Friday, May 29, 2026.
The proclamation formally declares May 29, 2026 as “Historic Camelot Theatre Day” in the City of Palm Springs in recognition of the theater’s nearly six decades of cultural and cinematic significance.
The presentation will take place prior to the festival’s opening night screening of Close Encounters of the Third Kind in 70mm film at the Palm Springs Cultural Center’s Historic Camelot Theatre.
Presented by MUBI, the Palm Springs 70mm Fest returns May 29–31, 2026 for its second year celebrating large-format cinema at one of California’s premier venues for 70mm exhibition. Widely regarded as the gold standard of film presentation, 70mm is a large-format, ultra-high-resolution film stock known for its extraordinary clarity and detail, rich color, and immersive scale.
The proclamation recognizes the Camelot Theatre’s history as a prestige roadshow theater originally opened in 1967, its longstanding role in Palm Springs cultural life, and its continued importance as one of the few remaining venues capable of presenting 70mm film. It also honors the stewardship of the nonprofit Palm Springs Cultural Center and the generations of community members and film lovers who have helped sustain the theater’s legacy.
Originally designed for large-format cinematic presentation, the Historic Camelot Theatre remains equipped with expertly maintained vintage Norelco AA-II projectors, a massive curved screen, and state-of-the-art sound. Today, it still offers audiences a rare opportunity to experience movies such as Lawrence of Arabia and 2001: A Space Odyssey in 70mm film as they were intended to be seen.
“We’re incredibly honored that the City of Palm Springs is recognizing the Historic Camelot Theatre as a cultural asset,” said Lauren Wolfer, Director and Producer of the Palm Springs 70mm Fest. “We hear from so many film lovers that it’s truly one of the very best venues in the country for 70mm film, and we couldn’t be more proud to share this with the community.”
The 2026 Palm Springs 70mm Fest lineup also includes Boogie Nights, West Side Story (1961), and The Searchers.
Festival supporters include NBC Palm Springs, Paul Bar, and indiGo Auto Group.
Tickets and festival passes are available at ps70mmfest.org. Follow @ps70mmfest on Instagram for updates and announcements.
Press images, including the official festival poster and film stills, are available here: ps70mmfest.org/press.
About the Palm Springs 70mm Fest
The Palm Springs 70mm Fest is a celebration of large-format cinema held at the Palm Springs Cultural Center’s Historic Camelot Theatre. Showcasing iconic films in spectacular 70mm, the Fest invites film lovers to experience cinema at its best in one of California’s great movie theaters.
About the Palm Springs Cultural Center
The Palm Springs Cultural Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to incubate, produce and encourage arts and cultural programs in order to leverage the unique power of creativity to open minds, bridge what divides us, and discover what connects us. Programs include film festivals, farmers’ markets, live performances, art installations and lecture series—all of which act as creative inspiration points—expanding our learning and building meaningful relationships with the people and the environment around us. As an organization, the Palm Springs Cultural Center is also at the forefront of recognizing the interconnection between the cultural arts and food culture, and their combined importance to the vitality, collective consciousness and sustainability of the community.
Press Contact:
Lauren Wolfer
Festival Director & Producer, Palm Springs 70mm Fest
lauren@psculturalcenter.org
(760) 831-6553
