If Walls Could Sing
Once upon a time, in cities from Bismark to Boise and Beverly Hills to Boston, there was one special place everybody knew. Located right in the heart of the downtown, it was where dreams became memories for young and old alike, who came to escape for a few hours and let their imaginations run free.
For without a majestic and ornate theater, a city simply wasn’t really a city, and a town wasn’t anyplace that mattered. For Bloomington, that special place was The Castle Theater. First opened in 1916 as a 1,000-seat theater, the Castle was a jewel in the series of gems created by the legendary theater builders Balaban & Katz, original inventors of the classic movie palace.
For decades, the property served as one of the area’s premier destinations.
A Destination Sensation
During the past 10 years, a once-dormant arts and entertainment district has been reborn within Bloomington’s downtown. This Cultural District, which the Castle calls home, serves the larger Bloomington-Normal region, one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the state.
The Castle has been restored to its former glory with a $1.5 million renovation. Today the Castle opens its doors to the next generation of dreamers seeking entertainment along Bloomington’s Cultural District. With a diverse mix of live music, corporate, public and private events, the Castle is poised to once again strike the right note in the future of Bloomington’s cultural life. Together, the Castle and the Twin Cities have once again found the groove that comes from being perfectly in sync.
