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Friends of Fox to host Pomona Fox re-opening
posted by
FriendsOfTheRaymondTheatre
on
February 26, 2009 at 8:00 am
POMONA, CA — The towering icon of Downtown Pomona’s Fox Theater will illuminate the night sky once again, as Friends of the Pomona Fox, a non-profit organization, will present “Fox First Night!", a fundraiser to be one of the first events held in the theater since its redevelopment and revival into the 21st century. The dinner event will be held Saturday, April 18th, 2009, with an opening reception to kick-off the evening at 6:00PM.
The Pomona Fox Theater has stood for over 70 years in Pomona, and served as the top choice for Hollywood’s sneak preview screenings in the early 1930’s as well as a frequent remote radio talk show location for Bob Hope, Desi Arnaz and other celebrities. The current restoration allows for great entertainment and event possibilities, in which “Fox First Night!" anticipates to showcase in the event, amongst activities celebrating its restored grandeur.
Since its glory days, the Fox has suffered damage to significant historical architectural and structural elements. The wear of time, the havoc of dance raves, and its needs to meet modern occupational standards, has all contributed to the compromise of the theater’s original features, such as the concession counter built in 1938, row seating, chandeliers, fixtures, and classic murals. This is where Friends of the Pomona Fox is requesting the help of the community in the preservation and restoration of the authentic character of the Fox Theater. Its rich history applies not only to its immediate surrounding of the Pomona Valley, but also to the beginnings of the film industry in Hollywood.
“Fox First Night!" Sneak Preview Fundraiser presented by Friends of the Pomona Fox is currently accepting ticket sales, sponsorships and advertising for this special event. For more information or to purchase tickets and tables for the event, contact Friends of the Pomona Fox at (909) 753-7903, e-mail or visit www.pomonafox.org
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Picture: Pomona Fox Theater Tower, Pomona, California,
Photo Credit: Eddie Gonzales
About Friends of the Fox
The Friends of the Pomona Fox Theater is a non-profit 501©3 organization dedicated to the historic preservation of the Fox and its role as a cornerstone of Pomonaâ€\s downtown.
The organization’s goals are to support the restoration of this National Historic Landmark Theater, help to acquire and reconstruct lost architectural details, appointments, and memorabilia, spearhead development of education & community-based programming, and working to identify and celebrate Pomona’s role in the history of the entertainment industry in California. Friends of the Pomona Fox was established in 2004.
(Thanks to lorenabuena for providing the photo of this model of the theatre.)
Comments (4)
That’s good news. I’ve been watching them renovate this theater for what seems like forever.
Something needs to be clarified: The photo you see above is a “birds eye” view of an outdoor MODEL of the Fox Pomona! The real Pomona has its tower on the other side, and in the model pictured, the block of the auditorium is much shallower than what is there in the case of the real building. Also, look closely, there are trolly/train tracks running down the street, and all the surrounding buildings are way different than the real downtown Pomona.
I’m guessing here, but I think this photo shows something I remember fondly from my childhood—the outdoor model railroad layout at the Los Angeles County Fair in Pomona! I don’t recall it having the theatre as part of the model then, but I went to the Fair and looked lovingly at that train layout every year from about 1966 to 1972. My folks had a heck of a time tearing me away to go look at other exhibits, unless it was to go look at the INDOOR O-gauge layout that was underneath the grandstand. Can anyone tell me the status of those wonderful model layouts?
Yes, it’s a model and very beautiful. If you click on lorenabuena cited above as the photo source, it says that the model exhibit is at “Fairplex”, and it also mentions that the model’s facade is not quite accurate.
Well thanks for clearing that up because I knew that photo wasn’t the Fox Theatre in Pomona (it was always referred to as the “Fox” by area residents and staff). I served part of my I.A. apprenticeship there and have been following the remodeling on their website. I worked for several years as a projectionist at the State Theatre just up Garey street from the Fox. I started my theatre career as a young teen at the California Theatre (just down third street from the Fox and before it became the UA) and worked relief at the Sunkist Theatre on north Garey before leaving the area. The Fox is the only theatre left in downtown Pomona. How maddening that those punks who attended rave concerts at the Fox had to destroy it.