Avalon Legacy Campaign

Learn more about
the Avalon Legacy Campaign

“The Avalon: Not Just a Movie Theater” produced by Stone Soup Films

Built in 1922, the Avalon Theatre opened its doors in 1923. Seventy eight years later the operators faced bankruptcy and the theater closed in March 2001. Concerned citizens created a nonprofit, the Avalon Theatre Project (ATP) and mounted an enormous grassroots campaign to save the theater. The theater was lovingly restored and reopened in 2003.

Since 2003 the Avalon has offered thousands of moviegoers a continual stream of first-run films, film festivals and special programs appealing to families, seniors and film buffs. The theater is now performing well despite the many challenges faced by independent theaters in today’s film industry.

The extensive renovations and historic restorations carried out in 2002-2003 returned the theater building to much of its earlier beauty. In 2007, the Avalon Board initiated a capital campaign, the Avalon Legacy Campaign, to raise funds for building projects and to reduce the debt incurred from the 2006 building purchase. The Legacy Campaign has to date raised $1.8 million of its $2 million goal and already funded several building projects.

$1,350,000 of the campaign goal is targeted to renovation. The ATP purchased the theater in 2006 and learned that additional renovations were needed, including energy efficient heating and air-conditioning and a full electrical upgrade. Installing an elevator is essential in order to make the second floor theater more accessible and making improving the Avalon 2 lobby will enhance the theater-going experience.

$650,000 of the campaign goal is targeted to reducing our mortgage. Every dollar that can be paid down will further strengthen the financial foundation of the Avalon and help to fund its core mission of entertaining, educating, serving and connecting the Chevy Chase and metropolitan Washington, DC communities through the best of film.

For more information, please contact Sarah Pokempner by email spokempner@theavalon.org or phone (202) 966-2149.