Boy, they sure don't make them like this anymore. This 1926 downtown movie palace, home theater of the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, is an eye-popping example of showmanship with a spot on the National Register of Historic

(+) More

Boy, they sure don't make them like this anymore. This 1926 downtown movie palace, home theater of the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, is an eye-popping example of showmanship with a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. Inside the auditorium, a night sky with clouds and twinkling stars fills the ceiling, and statues, flowers, and gargoyles surround the stage like a Mediterranean courtyard. Look for the peacock perched near the front. A gorgeous respite from the Florida heat (or rain), the theater shows first-run indie films daily, and it also screens Hollywood classics and hosts concerts, drawing the likes of Ani DiFranco and the Indigo Girls. It also hosts camptastic events like Sing-A-Long Grease. Before most films, a volunteer plays the Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ on stage—a nod to the theater's silent film years. Who needs the multiplex?

(-) Close