Historic Eureka Theater Celebrates 87th Birthday with Community Concert, Revitalizing Old Town

Gregg Foster, board president of the Eureka Theater, led a packed community celebration for the venue’s 87th birthday on Saturday, Feb. 28, saying the night was “more than a concert, it's a thank you to a theater that has been a pillar of our community for 87 years.” Doors opened at 7:00 PM for a birthday social that featured champagne and cake, and the program proceeded into an evening of live music billed to include Portland’s MarchFourth and Humboldt County’s Object Heavy.

Organizers used the theater’s event page and community listings to set ticketing and admission details. The Eureka Theater offered a limited Early Bird price of $20 on its Eventbrite page and sold day-of-show tickets for $30 at the door. The event was advertised as all ages; the venue’s public listing and event page also reiterated a bag policy that states “No large bags, backpacks, or purses.”

Performances leaned into the carnival and funk energy that promotional copy credited to MarchFourth and Object Heavy. MarchFourth was described in multiple listings as a “high-energy performance” and a “genre-defying spectacle” with “brass-fueled funk and vibrant carnival-like atmosphere,” including references to stilt walkers, acrobats, and colorful costumes. The theater’s own event copy billed Object Heavy as “Humboldt County’s favorite soul and funk powerhouse,” noted for “electrifying live shows, rich harmonies, and deep-groove rhythms,” and called their set a “dance-floor-filling” homecoming.

The celebration was framed by organizers as part gratitude and part revival. Foster added, “We’re reigniting the magic by welcoming back two incredible bands and inviting everyone to help us celebrate this beloved venue. The Eureka Theater belongs to the community as a place of joy and inclusion.” Multiple listings noted that both headliners had “made last year an unforgettable blast,” indicating the acts returned after performing at the theater in 2025.

The theater’s historic identity was a central element of the event’s messaging. The Eureka Theater opened in 1939 and was repeatedly described across publicity as an Art Deco or Streamline Moderne landmark and a longstanding gathering place for arts and community. The official venue address on event materials lists 612 F Street, Eureka, CA 95501; one third-party notice printed 6121 F St., which appears to be a typographical error in that source.

Sponsors and partners named in publicity for the anniversary included Lost Coast Communications, Redwood Capital Bank, and the North Coast Journal. The Eureka Theater organized the event; contact information published on community listings includes a phone number, 707-442-2970, and the emails eurekatheater612@gmail.com and info@theeurekatheater.com. Promotional channels carried the theater’s social handle and hashtag, @theeurekatheater and #eurekatheater.

Public listings varied slightly on official show windows - the theater’s event header listed an 8:00 PM to 11:30 PM show block while the page and local calendars confirmed doors and a birthday social at 7:00 PM with the performance “to follow” (one community listing extended the window to 11:59 PM). Organizers encouraged ticket purchases through the theater’s Eventbrite page and public event listing. The Feb. 28 celebration closed out a weekend claim on Old Town’s entertainment calendar and, in organizers’ words, aimed to “reignite the magic” of an 87-year-old community institution.