Fair Theatre

90-18 Astoria Boulevard,
East Elmhurst, NY 11369

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Showing 126 - 150 of 358 comments

Jeffrey1955
Jeffrey1955 on October 8, 2007 at 8:54 pm

They also specify “United States” in the address… just in case you were wondering.

llumenick
llumenick on October 8, 2007 at 4:37 pm

Warren, it isn’t in Jackson Heights, either. City officials confirmed to me that is a few block outside that community, in East Elmhurst. That’s also the location specified in the opening-night story somebody linked to here.

Alto
Alto on October 8, 2007 at 4:05 pm

It had to happen sooner or later…as of September 26th, 2007, the theatre FINALLY has an “official” Web site: www.fairtheatre.com

Even more surprising, it actually looks attractive and PROFESSIONALLY DONE! Not so surprising…some awkward vocabulary, along with spelling and grammatical errors. Some parts are still under construction (“online store” – denoted by “comming soon”) or unexplainably left blank (the “contact us” page). There is also no indication of who authored the site or when it was last updated. Nevertheless, it is more comprehensive and elaborate than I expected, and a much better means of reaching and attracting an audience than those lousy Village Voice ads.

It is being used to promote their Indian movies. Signs and flyers are posted throughout the lobby and hallways, encouraging customers to visit the new site, touting “Click on ‘website promotion’ and you can receive a bonus gift” (obviously an incentive to create site traffic and measure response). What you get is a printable page of four discount coupons (each good for $5 off regular admission), each valid for a seven-day period beginning October 10th and ending November 7th, 2007.

Of course, there is absolutely NO mention of their adult XXX movie business ANYWHERE â€" under “theatre info” they even include ticket prices for children – in effect, they are promoting the place as a family entertainment venue!!! :-o

But MOST disappointing to me: no theatre history page â€" next visit, I’ll suggest it to management. They could have AT LEAST linked to Cinema Treasures! (On the other hand, given some of the comments posted here, maybe not.) ;–)

faberfranz
faberfranz on September 9, 2007 at 1:11 am

Maybe just a preview of Coming Attractions?

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on September 9, 2007 at 12:33 am

Jeff, your a card! Thanks for the larf!

Jeffrey1955
Jeffrey1955 on September 8, 2007 at 10:17 pm

faberfranz, I have looked through IMdB, but cannot find anything with the title “Male Genitalia.” Your certainty that it would be exhibited at this theater therefore seems unfounded.

faberfranz
faberfranz on September 8, 2007 at 10:13 pm

Show “me” around? Or just show me the theater?

MarkieS
MarkieS on September 8, 2007 at 9:20 pm

faberfranz: It would be my pleasure to show you around the fair!

faberfranz
faberfranz on September 8, 2007 at 8:55 pm

Surely male genitalia are exhibited there.

Are Indian MF couples actually attending Bollywood shows now? If there is a price differential, are there separate entrances to low-price and high-price sections? No movement allowed between them? (Or perhaps only from high-priced to low-priced?)

Are Indian couples “curious” about the “forbidden” (high-priced) areas?

Maybe I need to go and find out for myself. Or ask McGinty or MarkieS or Alto or somebody, some “old hand” [sic] to escort me there and “show me”.

McGinty
McGinty on September 8, 2007 at 5:56 pm

“Share the same restrooms”? Such unnecessary paranoia.
I think if Warren was to actually visit the Fair, he'd
be disappointed to see that even though some pornography
is exhibited there, it’s a pretty benign place and not
very scary. Warren wouldn’t even have to worry
about catching an illness, not even a cold.
On another note, I picked up a friend over at LaGuardia,
and passed by the Fair on Astoria Blvd. My friend knew
nothing of the Fair and was marveling at the old-style
marquee. I hope the Fair and its marquee stay in business
for a long time, no matter what they’re showing.

MarkieS
MarkieS on September 7, 2007 at 12:30 am

Hey, maybe I’ve seen you there!

McGinty
McGinty on September 7, 2007 at 12:23 am

I’m 38 years old, and I intend to go back there soon.

MarkieS
MarkieS on September 7, 2007 at 12:17 am

I go to the Fair about twice a month. I used to think that the younger guys that go there were hustlers, but it turns out most of them have father(or in some cases grandfather)fixations. As a 48 year old man, I always manage to score a hottie. That alone makes it worth the 15 bucks. I mean come on, in a bar you’d pay that for two drinks, and probably would just get attitude!

McGinty
McGinty on August 12, 2007 at 9:49 pm

That article on the Fair Theatre in the Gay City News
was great stuff…an accurate account of the ambience of
the Fair, though not significantly different than what
others (myself, included) have described in this forum.

I can only hope the Fair achieves the landmark status
it deserves…or at least, continues to operate in
its present incarnation.

Jeffrey1955
Jeffrey1955 on August 2, 2007 at 10:30 pm

I think Warren was being facetious. But you knew that.

Alto
Alto on August 2, 2007 at 8:58 pm

Regarding Warren’s comment on Aug. 1:

WHAT crowds? The auditorium (showing Indian films) could pass for a morgue.

Meanwhile, last Sunday (a rainy day), the XXX areas were VERY busy.

Alto
Alto on August 2, 2007 at 8:46 pm

Incidentally, as of Sunday, July 29th, the discount ticket books ($5 per admission) were no longer available, and probably won’t be for quite some time. Those without them will have to fork over $15 per visit – not exactly a bargain.

Mike (saps)
Mike (saps) on August 2, 2007 at 7:14 pm

It’s nice to know that the Post’s best reporter is also a regular reader of Cinema Treasures!

llumenick
llumenick on August 2, 2007 at 5:49 pm

The Fair isn’t in Jackson Heights, either. It’s in East Elmhurst. A Gay City News article I recently linked to in my blog suggests the Bollywood thing is just a 60/40 ploy.

View link

McGinty
McGinty on August 1, 2007 at 5:26 pm

Very interesting…I haven’t had the chance to make another pilgrimage to the Fair lately, perhaps I’ll finally make a trip there next week.

pmullinsj
pmullinsj on June 12, 2007 at 7:27 pm

I’m glad it’s managed to stay open and flourishing, although I haven’t been in months. Someone who goes there occasionally said he thought they’d reopen the Stella d'Argento restaurant too, but I have a hard time believing that. I might go then, though—good Carmella Soprano type food.

McGinty
McGinty on June 12, 2007 at 7:04 pm

I still like the concept of there being one theater in Queens still showing adult films in 2007.

I’d like to see if the Fair is showing direct-to-video action movies on the 2 smaller screens adjacent to the XXX rooms….I’ll have to make another sociological expedition there soon.

Alto
Alto on June 12, 2007 at 5:36 pm

They are still showing Bollywood movies – to an empty auditorium (posters and flyers in the lobby proclaim “Held over – by popular demand…Bollywood Film Festival – third big month”). Great, if that’s your thing – although they’re not attracting more customers. I find them unbearable to sit through.

They show no signs of dropping their adult XXX offerings, as that part of the theater continues doing strong business.

Discount ticket books are still on sale (“bargain admission” of $5 per visit). I suggest buying them now – they will probably not be available for much longer.

McGinty
McGinty on May 7, 2007 at 2:43 pm

Has anyone dropped by the Fair recently? I was just wondering what the current status of the theater is and if they are still showing Bollywood films.

faberfranz
faberfranz on April 15, 2007 at 12:22 am

Yeah, that’s it! Just the way it looks today. Or three days ago, anyway.

From Lost Memory’s link (/theaters/11135/),
posted by KenRoe on Jul 18, 2006 at 12:39pm:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/192797148/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/192797605/