Celebrating A Century: Sioux Falls' Historic State Theatre

Celebrating a Historic Milestone

The iconic State Theatre in downtown Sioux Falls just had a big 100th Anniversary gala. Pigeon 605 is reporting that it came complete with "speakeasy vibes", vintage tunes, and vaudeville-style entertainment. And a lot of toasts were made with Hamm's beer.

After all, it was St. Paul, Minnesota beer magnate William Hamm, who put up the money to build a new theater in Sioux Falls 100 years ago. So, it was only appropriate to toast the man who made it happen with his beer.

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Honoring the Past and Embracing the Future

The Golden Gala not only marked the theatre's 100th Anniversary by paying tribute to its glorious past, but it was also an event that looked into the future of the theatre.

Allison Weiland, executive director at the Sioux Falls State Theatre Company, said, "One-hundred years is a great milestone. So many historic movie palaces and even buildings were torn down and completely gutted. I’m so proud that the State Theatre is flourishing".

1990 was a sad year for the State Theatre, as it closed its doors. But in 2005 a non-profit organization was started to get it back up on its feet, and it reopened to the public in 2020. But the work on the theatre isn't done yet.

Engaging the Community for Continued Support

The objectives now involve renovating the second floor of the theatre, especially the balcony. This would add up to 130 seats, almost doubling the capacity of the theatre. There are also plans to add second-floor restrooms and a balcony area concession space.

There is currently no timeline for future renovations, although second-floor renderings have been done by Architecture Incorporated. But according to Weiland, further restoration will occur with "community support and momentum".

In the meantime, the year-long century celebration State 100 Film Series continues with great movies from the 1920s all the way through today. You can find out which movies are playing when, just by visiting the State Theatre's website.

Source: Pigeon 605