Fair Theatre
90-18 Astoria Boulevard,
East Elmhurst,
NY
11369
90-18 Astoria Boulevard,
East Elmhurst,
NY
11369
18 people
favorited this theater
Showing 251 - 275 of 358 comments
I fully agree with flip-flops philosophy, even though I can’t say I care that much for the Fair. I hope it lasts, though, as all this slippage into Virtual Reality is very depressing. Glad he mentioned the restaurant, the Stella d'Argento, which has excellent old-fashioned Southern Italian fare in the dining room which can be entered either from the theater or the street, and the smaller adjacent room, where there is a simpler menu which opens directly from the theater. Very cozy and relaxing.
To each his own!
Well, jeffrey, going there, in my opinion, is a lot better than just sitting at home in front of a computer screen watching porn. There is the aspect of interacting with other men. It
s not just about the "porn". Sure, that plays a big role there, but it doesnt have to be the “only” reason for attending. Maybe thats one of the big problems in our society these days. Were loseing our ability to communicate face to face. Everybody wants to just sit and experience life thru a screen or other tech device. The "atmosphere" is a bit seedy, but its not that terrible. Its actually a place where you can actually let your hair down and be yourself, without having others around you passing judgement or staring. What it really boils down to, its just another thing “to do” instead of spending the day like a zombie, in front of a computer!I simply have to ask this: why in the world would anyone who has a computer need (or want) to go to a theater to watch porn, when there is an almost infinite amount available online? Is it for the “atmosphere”?
I live in Brooklyn and like to once in a while hang out at the Fair. I don
t drive so I use mass transit. I take the "N" train to Astoria Blvd station. Then the M60 which goes down Astoria Blvd. The first stop, as the bus turns left to head into La Guardia airport, you get off and walk approximately 5 short blocks and youre there. It costs $15.00 to get in. A bit steep. The owners have practicaly acquired the entire block. The restaurant next door now belongs to them,, which is great, because you dont have to leave the theater to get a bite. Amazing thing is, that with the restrictions in NYC about porn theaters, there is a Baptist church (predominantly black parrishoners) right on the corner. I guess the theater owner has that one too. They probably exist rent free, so theyre not complaining. Inside, there is plenty action, but no public touching allowed. At one point, there were too many trannys and some were caught "hustling" for money. the place was raided. Now, you dont see any trannys. There are six venues for video. The main theater orchestra shows legitamate movies. Unfortunately, the balcony has been closed for several years now. There are 5 other smaller areas, ranging in size showing everything from "sub-titled" kung-fu klunkers to old Tv shows. And, of course, the ever popular porn venue, straight and gay. In the rear, there are about 30 to 40 private viewing booths for the "fun" seekers. Also a large area after the main lobby with couches and video games, free coffee and tea and cookies. A good place to socialize, if thats your thing. All in all, a pretty decent place by todays standards. Lockers available also, to leave coats or shoulder bags. As of three months ago (my last visit) they were allowing people to smoke. I guess they know how to take care of the right “pay-offs”. They don`t make waves and keep a low profile.(should be ‘little different’)
Thanks, Warren, for those beautiful photos of old Fair articles about the opening.
I looked at the different recent photos, and think it may be a matter of good light. I don’t think they care, really, and anyway, there’s some of the same water stain even on the brighter one. Anyway, the ‘text’ is the same, or little differ
Have they really fixed up the marquee more since the last photos you linked to, or were these simply taken in brighter daylight?
Forgot to add that each of the main features in those ads was obviously on a late run – a good 6 months or so from initial release.
Here are some vintage ads from the Fair’s pre-porn days in the early 1960’s:
Thrill of it All – LI Star Journal 11/23/63
L-Shaped Room – LI Star Journal 11/25/63
The Prize – LI Star Journal 5/18/64
I’ll have to pass by and see if that Gulf Station is still there on the corner of 92nd.
Thanks all for clearing up the mystery of the Fair’s VV ads. For years I’d been tempted to check out a “2 action hits” show there but suspected they were actually videos and used as a “beard” to mask a porn venue. I also remember when at least one Times Square porn emporium advertised genre film showings, which I did check out—the audience consisted of one dude dozing to a Jackie Chan flick video-projected in a small screening room. Extremely depressing tease for one who’d spent decades catching all manner of real movies on the Duece and in Times Square. When I collected obscure VHS a while back, I remember sighting some genre and horror rarities in an adult video store window in Florida and must have been the first putz to actually inquire about them; turned out they were empty boxes, there
for the same non-porn “quota” reason.
JKane
In the early 70s, I used to walk home at night from my girlfriend’s near Northern Blvd. in Jackson Heights, all the way up Junction Blvd. to 57th Ave. in Elmhurst. I guess that’s about 20 blocks. I usually intended to take the Junction Blvd. bus, but I would start walking and usually, the bus either never passed me, or did so only after I was practically home! Of course, I was a LOT younger then… (I never had a problem — although I was once mugged in broad daylight on my way to Newtown High School!)
It is a ridiculously long walk from Roosevelt Ave. all the way up to Astoria Blvd. It takes me almost 10 minutes just to drive that distance, so imagine the time it would take on foot. It is eight VERY LONG blocks – I do not consider this walking distance!
I STRONGLY advise against walking that route at night â€" you will be passing through parts of Corona and Jackson Heights that have little activity and are questionable in safety. I have occasionally seen some “shady” characters roaming about, and it is eerily quiet late at night, which means if something happens to you, chances are that nobody will hear or see anything. It can be rather intimidating, and I for one would not do it.
I knew someone who used to walk home at night from work at a restaurant on Queens Blvd. in Elmhurst, all the way up to and past Roosevelt Avenue to 37th Ave. in Jackson Heights (he did not want to spend his wages on a taxi ). It was about the same distance. On one occasion he was followed but was far enough along to finish the trip; another time he was attacked and slashed in the face by a knife-wielding mugger (he fought and escaped).
The #19B runs to and from the Roosevelt Ave.-74th St. bus terminal and subway station in Jackson Heights/Elmhurst – it stops directly in front of the theater. For the return trip, it stops one short block east by the Burger King restaurant on 92nd St. (a schedule is posted in the theater lobby for customer convenience).
The #72 runs up along Junction Blvd. from Queens Blvd. in Rego Park â€" it stops at 94th St. and Astoria Blvd.
The #19 bus runs the length of Astoria Blvd. – it does not, however, stop near the theater, and runs only during daytime hours.
At least two of these buses are convenient â€" use them! The trip is worth the $2 fare.
Whenever I visit there, I always try to get a parking space in front of [or next to] the theater, since I sometimes leave late and do not like walking around the corner alone.
Of course! Perhaps a one-man submarine voyage through the NYC sewer system. That would certainly be an adventure. OK… enough frivolity!
You certainly wouldn’t want to land a helicopter on the roof — there’s a drag queen up there!
How about helicopter? Perhaps there is a heli-pad on the Fair’s roof. Or, you can just drop down on a line from the hovering copter right in front of the theater’s marquee. Now, THERE’S an entrance!
Hmmm, I guess I got the wrong bus number – Warren is correct – disregard the Q32. After further research, the CORRECT bus number is Q19B – Runs from 74th-Roosevelt to 102nd & Astoria Blvd. It’s been a while since I lived in Jackson Hts.
Here’s a route that involves almost no walking: take the E,F,G or R train to Roosevelt Ave-Jackson Hts; or the #7 to 74th St-Bway – then go to the street and get Jeffrey’s chauffeured limo (aka the Q32 bus) – it will dump you out right in front of the fashionable Fair Theatre.
wow
Of course, Jeffrey! We must have lost our heads.
Come now, gentlemen. He’s going to the Fair, after all. This is a classy establishment. I would not travel there in anything less than a chaffeured limo. Eight-block walk, indeed!
Another advantage of the Junction Blvd stop would be your option to hop a bus up to Astoria Blvd. You would have to hoof it down 90th Street. But, I assume that as a Manhattan resident, you’re probably not that intimidated by the idea an 8-block walk.
JCX… my suggestion of using the 90th Street/Elmhurst Ave station would put you physically closer to the Fair by about 4 blocks, however, Warren is wise to refer you to the Junction Blvd stop because you would be able to get there via an express train. The local stops on the 7 line are quite numerous in Queens, spaced as they are only every 5 blocks or so. You would certainly save considerable time by taking an express train from the city, even with the additional 4 block walk. However, if for some reason you find yourelf on a local, definitely use the 90th Street station as the Fair is right off 90th street once you get to Astoria Blvd.
Interesting that signs saying “prostitution and public lewdness prohibited” were needed, because as far as I know, prostitution and public lewdness are prohibited EVERYWHERE in the city. What’s next, a sign saying “murder and assault not allowed on premises”? Did these folks think the Fair Theater was located outside the coastal waters of the U.S.?
They haven’t allowed drag queens inside for well over a year (they were “peddling their wares” inside, and as a result the place was eventually raided by undercover cops). Signs went up everywhere saying “prostitution and public lewdness prohibited”. They used to stomp about like mastodons in heels looking for “business”.
If they needed the money that badly, the manager could have banished them to the roof and paid them to walk around like the human scarecrows that they were, because they would have been just as good at scaring away pidgeons as they did customers!