5612 Connecticut Ave,
NW
Washington, DC 20015
(202) 966-6000
info@theavalon.org
Admission:
$9.75 Adults
$7.00 Children (11 and under),
Seniors (62+), and Students (with
college ID)
$7.00 *Discount matinee
$6.50 Avalon Members
$5.50 Avalon Members /Seniors (62+)
Weekend Family
Matinees (Saturdays at 10:00 am): $3
Avalon Members ; $5 non-members
Calendar |
The Avalon
Theatre began life as the Chevy
Chase Theatre in February 1923, when
patrons could watch a silent film
for thirty cents. Shortly after it
opened, the theater became a
cornerstone of the northwest D.C.
community. In a time before
sprawling suburbs and gigantic
multiplexes, the local theater on
Connecticut Avenue was a place for
families to go for enjoyable
entertainment.
Throughout the 20th
century, the theater changed hands
and decoration multiple times,
reflecting the architectural
preferences and technological
advances of the decades. By March
2001, when Loews Cineplex closed the
theater, the Avalon was the oldest
continuously operating movie house
in Washington.
But in vintage
Hollywood style, the beloved old
theater – left empty and abandoned
and threatened by the mighty
wrecking ball – was rescued by the
community.
Neighbors were
outraged that a theater that was
thriving one day could be closed the
next. In March 2001, the film
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was
doing record business at the Avalon.
But when Loews Cineplex filed for
bankruptcy, it abruptly closed the
theater and stripped it of its
seats, screens, projection and sound
equipment, concession stand, and
anything else they could remove.
On April 22, 2003,
the Avalon Theatre Project proudly
unveiled a beautifully restored
theater, combining the best of old
architecture with state-of-the art
sound, screen, projection, and
comfortable new seats. The
revitalized theater now offers
exciting and diverse programming
that includes outstanding
independent, foreign, and
documentary films, classics, and the
best commercial films. It also hosts
film festivals, as well as special
programs for seniors and children |
