Fox Event Center

123 Cajon Street,
Redlands, CA 92373

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Related Websites

Fox Event Center (Official)

Additional Info

Previously operated by: Fox West Coast Theatres

Architects: Clifford A. Balch, Lewis Arthur Smith, Floyd E. Stanbery

Firms: Balch & Stanbery

Functions: Concerts, Live Performances, Restaurant, Special Events

Styles: Mission Revival

Previous Names: West Coast Redlands Theatre, Fox Theatre

Phone Numbers: Box Office: 909.528.0255

Nearby Theaters

Marquee and Facade

Opened as the West Coast Redlands Theatre in 1928, and had a seating capacity for 1,505. It was designed for the West Coast Theatres chain by leading theatre architect Lewis A. Smith. It was equipped with a Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ, which was installed in October 1928. The interior was styled in a Mission Revival treatment. In 1929, it was renamed Fox Theatre.

The theatre had a 40ft wide proscenium opening and a 32ft deep stage. In the 1940’s, the stage house was converted into a seperate theatre, known first as the Grove Theatre, later the Rainbow Theatre, and had its own separate entrance and marquee at the rear of the Fox Theatre.

About 1982, the balcony in the main auditorium was converted into two more cinemas. Around 1988, the Fox Theatre was closed. For years local preservationists hoped to turn the theatre portion of the two-story building into a performing arts center.

Housed within a 22,000-square-foot building, the theatre needed significant repairs. In 2000, the Fox Theatre was ‘For Sale’, at a price of $1.35 million. As the owners were looking for a buyer who would help restore the theatre, the asking price place no value on the building’s Fox Theatre portion because it would require significant funds to restore. The auditorium floor was leveled. By 2008, the theatre was used by a company for offices, but miracles do happen, and a new stage was installed in the former front orchestra level. The Fox Theatre reopened as the Fox Event Center, a live performance venue on July 4, 2009, accommodating 400 people sitting or 700 people standing. The former stage house (later Grove Theatre/Rainbow Theatre) is now a Caribbean restaurant.

Contributed by Ross Melnick, William Gabel

Recent comments (view all 34 comments)

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on August 15, 2009 at 3:07 pm

This was in the Redlands Daily Facts in April 1953:

One hundred and forty were present last evening as Junior Women of the Contemporary Club and their husbands were guests of Manager William O. Hallett for a theatre party at the Fox Theatre. The three-dimensional film, “Bwana Devil,” was shown as the program highlight, followed by “The Savage” in technicolor. A buffet supper was served by candlelight at the Contemporary Club after the theatre program. Spring flowers had been arranged on the supper table and on the mantel by Mrs. Robert Knight, Mrs. Hugh Folkins and Mrs. Donald Leonard.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on August 15, 2009 at 4:11 pm

Not an ad, a news story.

BabyBoomer
BabyBoomer on March 14, 2010 at 6:56 pm

I was stationed at Norton Air Force Base from September 1967-September 1968 and I would take the base bus on my days off to Redlands and enjoyed walking around town all day and going to the Fox movie house at night.Growing up in New York City I loved the small town feeling and was awed by the palm trees lining the main street.I have two questions however.First is it possible I remember the marquee in front of the theatre at that time being the same one as the 1928 picture above on the Cinema Treasures site? Second I came across an old post card which seems to have been made around the 1920’s of Redlands.It was taken looking from the other end of town down the main street (Cajon St.???)and says it is looking toward the YMCA. I know this goes back further than some of you but do any of you remember a YMCA being in town?

One time during my visits to town the high school was showing the movie “Endless Summer” as a fund raiser for one of the teams if I remember right.It was a very pleasent walk and evening and I have many wonderful memories of Redlands.

jchan
jchan on May 20, 2010 at 10:21 am

The Fox Theater is now the Fox Event Center and open for events such as weddings, quinceaneras, sweet sixteens, birthdays, charity events, concerts, any event. We have several screens and now have state-of-the-art sound and lighting with the Event Design Lab, and can sit up to 700 people.

Please come visit the Fox Event Center anytime. Thank you for your continual support. Our upcoming event is on May 28, Africa Harvest of Hope Benefit Show 7 pm.

If you have any questions regarding the Fox Theater feel free to email me at , if you’d like to volunteer at the Fox we’d gladly appreciate any help we can get. Thanks !

Jlchan
Jlchan on September 13, 2010 at 4:28 am

Hello,
I’d like to cordially invite everyone to “HORROR Night at the Fox” event on October 29, 2010.

HAUNTED MAZE, WEAR YOUR COSTUME, SCARY FUN, CONTESTS, FOOD& BEST OF ALL…HELP YOUR SCHOOL !!!!!$1 from every admission ticket sale will go to your school ASB when you show your ID.

Please come and SUPPORT The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society(LLS)and FIGHT AGAINST BLOOD CANCER!! Check out their booth at this event!
Enter into Forbidden Panel’s ZOMBIE DRESS UP CONTEST and become a character in a comic book !
You’re invited to Redlands’ very own haunted theater, theFox Theater. Never been offered at the Fox !
• “HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL” starring VINCENT PRICE…
with a special twist.
• Enter into contests !
• Bring cash for the fundraiser and concession stands

This event is hosted by RCPS Southern California, MyPara.net, and Redlands Fox Theater

OCTOBER 29, 2010 at Redlands Fox Theater. Doors open at 7:00pm.
All ages welcome ! 12 and under do need an adult present at all times.
General Admission: $10
Ages 12 and under: $7
ORDER YOUR TICKETS AT WWW.RCPSSOCAL.COM! OR Call (909)792-3888 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (909)792-3888      end_of_the_skype_highlighting and get your tickets!
Reserve your spot ! LIMITED SEATING !!!
Take lots of pictures of the haunted location, make newfriends, and have fun !! Who knows, you just might catch something.

jchan
jchan on September 23, 2010 at 10:14 pm

Hello I know I posted before this, but this is an IMPORTANT UPDATE!
“HORROR Night at the Fox” event on October 29, 2010. DOORS OPEN AT 6pm !!

HAUNTED MAZE, Costume Contests, SCARY FUN, More contests, raffles, silent auction, FOOD& BEST OF ALL…HELP YOUR SCHOOL !!!!!$1 from every admission ticket sale will go to your school when you show your ID (participating schools only).

SUPPORT The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society(LLS)and FIGHT AGAINST BLOOD CANCER!! Check out their booth at this event!

Enter into Forbidden Panel’s ZOMBIE DRESS UP CONTEST and become a character in a comic book !

~~ SURPRISE GUEST APPEARANCES AT 8:30pm
• “HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL” starring VINCENT PRICE…
with a special twist. Experience the classic in a new way at 7pm

• Enter into contests !
• Bring cash for the fundraiser and concession stands
This event is hosted by RCPS Southern California, MyPara.net, Forbidden Panel and Redlands Fox Theater

All ages welcome ! 12 and under do need an adult present at all times.
General Admission: $10]
Ages 12 and under: $7

ORDER YOUR TICKETS AT WWW.RCPSSOCAL.COM! OR Call (909)831-5615 to reserve your spot! Limited Seating !!

happymike44
happymike44 on December 27, 2010 at 5:21 pm

My sister used to work here and I would go to work with her and watch movies all day.

I would look around the upper balcony areas which I wasn’t supposed to go into and remember the thick carpeting muffling the sounds of my shoes as I sneaked past the employee only area signs.

I even remember one saturday being bored I had managed to escape Mom’s watchful eyes and discovering a old emergency fire escape climbed up onto the curved roof and walked around looking across the valley towards the mountains.

In the 1980’s I moved away and returned for a visit to discover the beautiful fox boarded over and the marquee darkened.

The magic and memories of so many of Redlands children forgotten and abandoned.

I have traveled the world and the Fox was always in my thoughts of what happened to the place of magic.

After seeing the movie The Majestic it reminded me of The Fox and so recently I discovered she was rescued and partially restored.

I was so glad that a place of my childhood and memories had found someone to love and take care of it again.

Thank You for saving such a wonderful place so that others might make new memories in that place I spent so many happy saturdays.

Those were the days Redlands was small town America and we knew almost everyone in town.

Now I look at Redlands and it seems so different but places like the Fox remain to remind me of my childhood and those carefree days of my childhood.

JackCoursey
JackCoursey on February 26, 2011 at 6:36 pm

Photo of the façade from January 2011. The place looks great from the outside (was unable to see the interior on this trip). How drastic was the interior changed during its conversion to office space back in 2008?

rivest266
rivest266 on August 6, 2011 at 3:30 pm

I added the site plan showing both theatres in this page’s photo section.

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