Holiday Art Theatre
4204 Kensington Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19124
4204 Kensington Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19124
2 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Architects: William Harold Lee
Functions: Daycare Center
Styles: Streamline Moderne
Previous Names: Windsor Theatre, Ace Theatre, Aart Holiday Theatre
Nearby Theaters
Located in the Frankford district to the east of North Philadelphia. The Windsor Theatre was opened by November 1914. In 1938 it was given a makeover to the plans of architect William Harold Lee and was renamed Ace Theatre. On November 8, 1959 it was renamed Aart Holiday Theatre screening foreign made movies. By 1963 it had drifted into screening uncensored adult movies as the Holiday Art Theatre. One of the last adult theatres to operate, and apparently the last vintage single-screen neighborhood theatre in Philadelphia showing anything cinematic. In the 1960’s and 1970’s it was booked day-and-date with the Abbe Art Cinema (Cedar Theatre) in West Philadelphia and the Walton Art in East Germantown.
The Holiday Art Theatre closed in 2007. By September 2021 it was in use as a 24 hour child care center named Someone’s Brilliant Performing Arts, catering for children 3 months to 12 years old..
Contributed by
RickB
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Recent comments (view all 14 comments)
I just got wind (call me slow) that the Holiday Art, or “Art Holiday” as it’s better known, is either now offically closed or about to close soon — View link
Story from the Frankford Gazette with a pictyre. View link
For the above post. I understand the closing, tearing down of these theatres is sad and they can never be replaced. I managed many theatres in the 60’s to mid 70’s. The good time for most of them. But sometimes the garbage you write takes the enjoyment of reading these sites. Relax and STOP with the Taliban remarks. rg
Someone has told me today,
There is a dumpster outside of the Art Holiday filled with seats this week……
The Holiday Art is for rent. TheaterBuff1 should rent it before the Taliban does. He could call it the Windsor again and screen first-run films. Just imagine, a first-run theatre in East Frankford. Go for it Buff!
The Holiday Art Theatre has been shuttered for at least 8-½ years now. FOR RENT signs (@ $1200) still hang from its marquee, although there doesn’t seem to be any interest! Things are far from perfect in East Frankford, but they’re a 100% better since the dirty movie closed!
This opened as an art theatre that shown uncensored movies called Aart Holiday on November 8th, 1959. By 1960 it appeared on the listings as Art Holiday until it closed. Ad in the photo section.
Articles: * https://philly.newspapers.com/clip/6942134/art_holiday_theatre/
* https://philly.newspapers.com/clip/6942090/adult_cinemas_vs_home_video/
A 2021 Google street view shows that the theatre building is now home to “Someone’s Brilliant Performing Arts LLC”.
an even further internet search (imagine that !) lists the building now as a preschool/daycare center.
Given what the building formerly was, I hope that irony isn’t lost on anyone.
One of the programs hosted there is ‘little minds, big dreams’ and they give a phone number of 215-292-3915