Keep an eye out for a glowing green neon sign that says "PALACE" in bright red letters, hanging vertically from an old two-story building with arched windows and decorative touches-just look up and you can’t miss it!
Welcome to the fabulous Palace Theater! Right now, you’re face-to-face with a little slice of Hilo’s showbiz history. Imagine it’s 1925: the air is thick with excitement, and the aroma of freshly popped popcorn drifts outside as folks in their Sunday best file through those grand doors under the dazzling marquee. The architects Davis and Fishbourne designed this place in the elegant Beaux-Arts style, so if you admire its decorative urns above the windows and the metal marquee slicing the facade in two, you’re enjoying a true architectural star. Above you, the parapet with its classy balustrade runs like a crown atop the theater-no wonder it’s called the Palace!
Inside, the theater’s steep amphitheater seating rises in tiers, with every seat giving a perfect view of the elaborate proscenium framing the stage and screen. And in case you’re feeling the urge to tap your toes, know that the majestic Robert Morton pipe organ, first played here almost a century ago, still waits inside. That instrument has gone on quite a journey: it once floated away to a private home in Honolulu, survived a tsunami, borrowed a few pipes from the demolished Waikiki Theatre, and finally returned home like a lost cat who just couldn’t stay away.
Lights dim, whispers hush, and now-whether it’s a movie, a bustling variety show, or a musical packed with singing locals-magic happens here year after year. Even the pandemic couldn’t quiet the Palace: artists filled this stage for the Live From the Empty Palace web series, sharing their music with an audience watching from home, and it even earned a spot as a Nā Hōkū Hanohano finalist! So next time you visit for a concert or catch a film, imagine all the stories swirling in the air-because at the Palace Theater, there’s always a bit of old Hollywood sparkle in the Hawaiian breeze.
