PHOENIXVILLE, PA — The Colonial Theatre is broadening its summer programming with a slate of film screenings, live performances, educational events, and its annual Blobfest festival as nonprofit arts venues continue seeking year-round audience engagement beyond traditional movie exhibition.
The Phoenixville theater’s summer schedule began today, June 4 and runs through mid-July, featuring Pride Month film screenings, local history programming, live music events, author appearances, and the return of Blobfest, the venue’s largest annual event.
Among the season’s notable programs is History on the Rocks: The Phoenix Wheel on June 4, an immersive event examining the history of Phoenix Steel and the development of Phoenixville’s newest landmark through archival photographs and historical presentations.
The Colonial also will host a Pride Film Series throughout June, featuring screenings of films including Death Becomes Her, But I’m a Cheerleader, The Wizard of Oz, Tangerine, Bound, Paris Is Burning, and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. The series is designed to highlight LGBTQ+ storytelling and cinema history.
On June 20, photographer and author Vincent Cianni will appear for a discussion of Archive/Journal, his two-volume work documenting Pride marches and LGBTQ+ life in New York City during the AIDS epidemic between 1985 and 1995.
The theater’s June programming also includes a Juneteenth screening of Harriet on June 14 and a June 25 screening of Cold War in Philly: Flyers vs. Russia 1976. The documentary examines the historic matchup between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Soviet Red Army hockey team and will be followed by a discussion featuring sportswriter Sam Carchidi and former Flyers players Joe and Jim Watson.
Live entertainment continues June 26 with a performance by Magical Mystery Doors, a tribute act combining music from The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and The Doors.
The summer schedule culminates with the 27th annual Blobfest from July 10 through July 12, a festival celebrating the Colonial’s connection to the 1958 film The Blob, which was partially filmed in Phoenixville. This year’s “Cirque Du Blobfest” theme introduces new attractions including an immersive screening experience and Dinner en Blob, a themed community event inspired by Dinner en Blanc.
Blobfest has become one of the region’s best-known film festivals and serves as a major tourism draw for Phoenixville, reinforcing the Colonial’s role as both a cultural institution and economic driver for the downtown district. The theater attracts more than 70,000 patrons annually across its film, music, comedy, and community programming, according to the organization.
Tickets and additional information are available at the Colonial Theatre’s website, thecolonialtheatre.com.
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