While the theater is celebrating 92 years, our restoration work is not done and we are looking to complete larger infrastructure projects. The Historic Bakersfield Fox Theater staff and Board of Directors have outlined projects that will preserve the theater for the next 100 years, making it sustainable, safer, and more spectacular.
Your gift will ensure Californians and tourists to our community can enjoy the Fox Theater now and in the future!
The Fox Theater withstood the 7.3 magnitude 1952 Kern County earthquake which destroyed and damaged many buildings in downtown Bakersfield. We have recovered from vandalization and abandonment from its closure in the 1980s. And we have survived the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown. Of the 282 Fox Theaters that once operated in California, ours is one of 45 theaters still open in the state today. Its interior design from the 1950s is one of only a few remaining Carl G. Moeller designs in the nation.
The Historic Bakersfield Fox Theater is a relic of entertainment history and a treasure for downtown Bakersfield
Consider a few additional ways to give:
- You can help by shopping for exclusive merchandise at https://thebakersfieldfox.square.site/
- An employer-sponsored matching gift
- Purchase a star on our Walk of Stars! For $5,000 your name or organization can be memorialized on the sidewalk surrounding our theater
- Recommend us to a foundation or grant to which you are connected
Renovation Projects
Solar Power & Upgraded Stage Lighting - Installing solar energy and adding an LED stage lighting system will reduce our electrical use by approx.185,000 kWh annually and reduce our carbon footprint by 80 metric tons per year. Estimated at $1,100,000.
Roof Restoration - Last repaired 20 years ago, a full replacement will repair current leaks and prevent future leaks with materials that better insulate the structure, thus making the theater, even more, energy efficient. Estimated at $260,000
Exterior Theater Painting - Paint is peeling off the concrete or is stained, making it look dull and dirty. We will properly scrape, clean, and repaint the exterior stucco to its original 1930 paint scheme. Fresh paint also ensures the elements do not deteriorate our structure. Estimated at $200,000
Seat Restoration - To restore the scratched and dirty paint, each seat needs to be individually removed and powder coated. This tedious work will take hundreds of hours but will bring our chairs back to like-new condition for the next 30+ years. Estimated at $150,000
Floor Restoration - Decades of audiences and concessions spills have stained and eaten away at the protective sealant. Resurfacing our concrete floors with heavy-duty epoxy paint will improve the appearance and make cleaning easier and more cost-effective. Estimated at $305,000.
Theatrical Rigging System - The 90-year-old counterweight system of steel cables, pulleys, and battens holds show lights, curtains, backdrops, screens, and props. It presents an injury risk due to the force needed to move the battens and limits what can be flown or hung with fear of overloading an aging system. Replacing this system will make for safer working conditions and bring in more shows. Estimated at $3,500,000.
Ceiling Restoration & Scaffolding - Water leaks on the ceiling of the lobby and auditorium have damaged our one-of-a-kind murals. The installation of scaffolding will allow us to reach these and other decorative pieces to repair and restore these areas. It will also allow us to clean the high-reaching drapes. Estimated at $365,000.
Skouras Restoration & Painting - The curtains and ornate gold leaf and diamond plaster designs from the 1953 Charles P. Skouras remodel have deteriorated over time. The decades of dust and holes will be professionally cleaned, and new curtains will be purchased. Estimated at $150,000.
Atmospheric Stage Curtain Restoration - The detailed, hand-stitched curtain found in the 1990s is a relic. Our plan is to restore this curtain so that it can be flown or hung on the stage for public enjoyment as an original decorative element of the theater. Estimated at $50,000.
Theater Pipe Organ - Help the Fox acquire a Mighty Wurlitzer organ. The Fox originally had a pipe organ when it opened in 1930, and our goal is to install an electric organ and hear its music fill the theater once more. Estimated at $100,000.
Call us at (661) 324-1369 if you would like to donate by phone or have other inquiries.
Email us at info@thebakersfieldfox.com
Visit us during our Box Office hours Monday to Friday from 10AM to 1PM.
2001 H Street
Bakersfield, CA 93312
Our Official Website is thebakersfieldfox.com
Photo by Mike Hume
