Local supporters of the Solvang Festival Theater, including board members and community volunteers, have been decorating the theater’s main wall with commemorative words and photos. Construction crews are scheduled to arrive at the theater on Monday, Sept. 13, to start the demolition and rebuilding process of the 47-year-old venue. Reconstruction is expected to be completed by July 2022.
“We are so excited about what the rebuilt theater will bring to our community,” Ann Foxworthy Lewellen, vice-chair of the Theaterfest board of directors, said in press materials. “It’s so very moving to read the comments and see the artwork that so many of our patrons have posted on the old wall.”
Participants were invited to adorn the wall with decorated picture frames, framed around photos, artworks, or writings. Some supporters brought clippings from a 1974 newspaper article that described the theater’s grand opening.
Support for the theater’s rebuilding initiative came from donations from community members, businesses, and foundations. Nearly 80 percent of the theater’s targeted goal of $4.7 million has been raised so far, according to press materials.
For more info on the Solvang Festival Theater, visit solvangtheaterfest.org. The theater is located at 420 2nd St., Solvang.
This article appears in Sep 9-16, 2021.