Nancy Sinatra to Raise Money for Plaza Theatre

PALM SPRINGS — Are you ready, boots? Start walkin’ — to the historic Plaza Theatre in downtown Palm Springs. That is where Nancy Sinatra, who made famous, “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’, will appear to help raise money to restore the famed theatre.

Nancy Sinatra will host a special event on Sunday, Feb. 16 during Modernism Week. The event, which will include a special screening of some of her work, will be held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Plaza Theatre, 128 S. Palm Canyon Drive. The screening will be followed by a conversation with the audience.

Nancy Sinatra also promises to bring special celebrity guests.

Tickets go on sale at noon on Friday, Nov. 1. More details will be coming soon by clicking here.

“As the daughter of Frank Sinatra, perhaps one of the most famous of the many Hollywood celebrities who helped put Palm Springs on the international stage, Nancy has many fond memories of growing up here and is a huge supporter of preserving our past and our city’s historic architecture,” Councilmember J.R. Roberts said in a prepared statement. “We are incredibly honored that Nancy is getting involved in the effort to restore this important Palm Springs icon to its former glory.”

Roberts is leading restoration and fundraising with Mayor Rob Moon.

Nancy Sinatra follows Lilly Tomlin w ho recently did a special video asking for community support while explaining the importance of restoring and preserving the Palm Springs landmark.

At the State of the City address, held for the first time at the Plaza Theatre, Roberts and Moon announced a campaign to raise funds for the restoration project along with two major donations of $100,000 from Modernism Week and $50,000 from the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation, bringing the total committed for the project so far to $200,000.

The city’s consultant has estimated that $10 to $12 million will be  required to restore the building. The theatre, built in 1936, has been the location for Hollywood film premieres, national radio broadcasts, the Palm Springs International Film Festival, and the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies.

Vacant since the departure of the Follies, the building was recently cleaned up for the State of the City, but the Class One Historic structure still requires significant work.

To fully understand the financial needs, the city recently tapped international architectural firm Gensler and preservation consultants to develop a restoration and rehabilitation plan that calls for installing 670 new seats, significant infrastructure repairs, installation of new theatrical equipment, and structural improvements to ensure the building meets current fire prevention and Americans with Disabilities Act mandates.

“The Plaza Theatre is one of the most iconic buildings in Palm Springs,” Roberts said. “Restoring an important civic institution like this will require significant support from our local community. We encourage anyone interested to get involved and donate. “ “We know that when the theatre is fully restored, it will once again become an economic driver,” said Moon. “The Plaza Theatre is an important part of our history and we look forward to restoring this beloved treasure so it can meet the needs of future generations.”

For more information about the project or to donate, click here.