We are excited to celebrate the people behind this year’s most inspiring preservation projects at the 2025 Preservation Awards. Join us on Thursday, May 29, 2025, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at The Caz (2221 Seneca Street) to celebrate the region’s most impactful preservation projects at Preservation Buffalo Niagara’s largest fundraiser of the year.
Please note: The Caz will stay open until 8:30 PM for the Afterparty! Enjoy great company and live music for an extra hour — Thank you, Jake!!
For more information on the Preservation Awards, please click here.
To purchase tickets for the Preservation Awards, please click here.
The Stunning Restoration of the Lockport Historic Palace Theatre
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Palace Theatre. Its grand opening night in 1925 featured Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments, and exactly a century later, the theatre celebrated with the hit musical Wicked. But beyond the movies and musicals, the true significance lies in the theatre’s revival—a powerful symbol of Lockport’s cultural heritage and community spirit.
Like many historic theaters, the Palace faced tough times. It wasn’t until 1999 that Curtain Up Productions began staging live musicals here, breathing new life into the space. By 2003, a dedicated nonprofit purchased the building, and under the leadership of an active board and Executive Director, Chris Parada, the Palace offered theatrical productions and kept the building standing despite tight budgets. Starting in 2018, with generous community support, foundation grants, and government funding, the theatre underwent a full-scale restoration, finishing in 2022.
The stunning ceiling murals, delicate stencil work, and expertly repaired plaster create an authentic glimpse into the past. But there’s so much more than just beauty behind the scenes—this is a fully modern performance space, blending historic charm with 21st-century technology.
The stage boasts upgraded rigging and backstage platforms operated by an impressive 32-bar counterweight system. The curtains include a cyclorama, LED-star drops, scrims, and a traveler track system, offering endless possibilities for spectacular shows. Beneath the stage, the orchestra pit has been expanded, now seven feet wider and six feet deeper than the original, complete with a hydraulic lift for enhanced functionality. Even the lobby’s concession stand has been carefully renovated to complement the historic 1925 design, illuminated by a dazzling crystal chandelier replacing the long-lost original. And movie lovers can rejoice—thanks to a new movie screen and digital projector, the Palace is once again showing first-run films.
For their tireless dedication to preserving and revitalizing a cornerstone of Lockport’s cultural and architectural heritage, we proudly present the Lockport Historic Palace Theatre restoration team with the 2025 Preservation Award for Commercial Project.
Congratulations to everyone involved in making the Lockport Historic Palace Theatre a restored gem and a thriving hub for arts, culture, and community.
To see what shows are hitting the stage, visit: Live Theatre Productions – Lockport Palace Theater