The historic Mariemont Theatre is set to welcome moviegoers back this month following a restoration effort led by Cincinnati-based nonprofit Cindependent, according to the Cincinnati Business Journal.
Cindependent, an organisation supporting independent filmmaking in Greater Cincinnati, will hold a soft opening for the theatre on Friday, Aug. 28, at 6906 Wooster Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45227, several months after the cinema abruptly closed in February.
The reopening follows a fundraising campaign that raised more than $1 million to fund repairs and improvements at the neighbourhood theatre. The restoration work has included rebuilding seats, repairing auditorium spaces, installing new equipment and updating the theatre’s overall appearance.
The Aug. 28 soft opening will feature several screenings between 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The initial film lineup will include Tony, The Brink of War, The Rivals of Amziah King and Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World.
The theatre will also launch a monthlong series of films from 1938, the year the cinema originally opened. The screenings will include discussions with film professors from the University of Cincinnati.
Following the soft opening, the theatre will continue offering multiple daily screenings ahead of its grand reopening gala on Wednesday, Sept. 16.
The gala will include street performers, food stations and live music around Mariemont Square. A 12-piece band will perform music from the 1930s beginning at 5 p.m. in front of the theatre.
The event will culminate with screenings across all five auditoriums, including The Singers, an Oscar-winning live-action short produced by Cindependent alum Jack Piatt, who is expected to attend. Take Me Home, a Sundance Film Festival winner by director Liz Sargent, will also be shown.
The grand reopening will coincide with the start of the 2026 Cindependent Film Festival, which is scheduled for Sept. 16-20 at Memorial Hall in Over-the-Rhine.
Tickets for the Aug. 28 screenings are listed at $12 for general admission and $8.50 for matinee showings, with discounts for seniors, students, children, and members of the military. Tickets for the reopening gala start at $50.
WhatNow reached out to Cindependent for additional information but had not received a response at the time of publication. WhatNow will provide additional updates as the Mariemont Theatre resumes operations.
