On February 24, crews carried projectors and popcorn makers out of the Mariemont Theatre. WCPO reported that the building owner had ended the previous operator's lease at the end of January and set a March 1 deadline to leave. The move-out came early. The village mayor called the closure temporary, though at the time nothing yet showed how it would reopen.
Eight months later, the 1938 theater is showing films again, and the money that brought it back came from the village and its supporters. That puts it in good company. Nearly every event on Mariemont's November and December calendar is run by a nonprofit, a parents group, a scout troop or a community theater company. Until this year, the movie house was the main exception. Now it works much like the rest of the season.
What It Took to Turn the Lights Back On
Cindependent, the Cincinnati nonprofit film organization, announced on January 29 that it would take over the theater. At first it expected the changeover to take about 16 weeks. Then the move-out left the building with no projection, no audio, no concession equipment and no software for scheduling films. Local 12 reported in July that all of it had to be replaced through fundraising.
Cindependent founder and executive director Allyson West took over the lease in mid-March. According to Local 12's coverage of the September gala, the reopening cost $1 million. The list included five new projectors, three new screens and five new audio systems. About 60% of the seats had been vandalized and had to be checked to see what could be salvaged. Support ranged from volunteers giving their time to donors writing checks for thousands of dollars.
Mariemont Mayor Bill Brown told Local 12 that two years ago the theater "was at death's door." West described the fundraising pace this way in the same story:
"I think it's really rare for a community to be able to focus and organize so quickly, to the point that we fundraise a million dollars and reopen an operational movie theater as a result."
The soft opening came on the last Friday in August. WVXU noted that the first film was Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World at 4 p.m. That same night, the theater screened You Can't Take It with You, the Oscar winner from 1938, the year the Mariemont Theatre first opened. The official grand reopening followed on September 16, a gala that also served as opening night for the 2026 Cindependent Film Festival, with screenings of The Singers and Take Me Home.
A Theater With Members Now
A theater rebuilt with neighbors' money also asks for their ongoing support, and that shows in how it runs. West told WVXU the lineup would keep the first-run films the theater was known for and add special screenings of classics and favorites. The renovation also added an outdoor patio out front, built as a place to gather before and after a film.
The theater has also launched a paid membership, Friends of the Mariemont Theatre. The two entry levels listed on the membership page are:
- Neighbor, $60 a year, with 12 movie credits and a 5% discount on concessions and festival purchases
- Caretaker, $300 a year, with 24 movie credits and a 10% discount
Two higher tiers, Founders Circle at $1,200 a year and Preservation Council at $5,000 a year, come with larger discounts and extra perks. At the Neighbor level, the 12 credits work out to $5 per movie.
Right now, the theater's site is promoting a "Season of the Witch Series" and lists Hocus Pocus, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Coco and White Christmas under "Coming Soon." No dates are posted for any of them yet, so check the Mariemont Theatre showtimes before you plan a night around one.
The Rest of the Season Runs the Same Way
The theater is the newest community-backed piece of the calendar. The others have been run this way for years.
The Mariemont Players are in their 90th season, and their holiday production opens next week. A Tuna Christmas runs November 5 through 22, 2026, with the original cast of the company's Tuna productions returning. Show details and tickets are on the Mariemont Players season page.
The Luminaria Festival and annual tree lighting is organized by the Mariemont Preschool Parents Group, and proceeds go to charitable projects in the community. The luminaria kits are sold partly through the Boy Scout Christmas Tree Sale at the Mariemont Municipal Building. The day after Luminaria, on Sunday, December 6, the Woman's Art Club of Cincinnati Foundation holds its free Showcase of Arts at The Barn.
Here is the calendar from the week this post publishes through the first weekend of December:
| Date | Event | Where | Run by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 5 to 22 | A Tuna Christmas | See the Players' season page | Mariemont Players |
| Nov. 27 to 29, noon to 4 p.m. | Christmas tree sale and in-person luminaria kits | Mariemont Municipal Building | Mariemont Village Boy Scouts and Mariemont Preschool Parents Group |
| Nov. 28 | Deadline to sign up for the house decorating contest | Online | Mariemont Preschool Parents Group |
| Dec. 5, noon to 4 p.m. | Last day for in-person luminaria kits | Mariemont Municipal Building | Mariemont Preschool Parents Group |
| Dec. 5, 5:30 to 8 p.m. | Luminaria Festival and tree lighting | Old Town Square and throughout the village | Mariemont Preschool Parents Group |
| Dec. 6, noon to 4 p.m. | Showcase of Arts, with local crafts and fresh wreaths | The Barn, 6980 Cambridge Ave. | Woman's Art Club of Cincinnati Foundation |
Luminaria Night, Hour by Hour
Online luminaria kit orders closed on October 23. That leaves the two in-person windows at the Municipal Building on Thanksgiving weekend and on the day of the event, while supplies last.
On Saturday, December 5, festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. in Old Town Square, and the tree is lit around 6:00. Santa arrives on his sleigh at 6:15 and stays in the square for photos with kids. After the tree lighting, the luminaries stretch through the rest of the village. A map of the homes in the house decorating contest will be posted after November 28, and that is also the signup deadline for anyone who wants their house on it. Both are on the Luminaria page.
On that evening the luminaries, the tree and a screen down Wooster Pike will all be lit in the same village center, and each one is there because local groups paid for it and run it.
One More Preservation Project, Further Out
The Mariemont Preservation Foundation is working on a similar project on a slower schedule. Its Mariemont Museum at the historic Ferris House opened for a public sneak preview on October 10 and 11. The foundation's announcement sets the full opening for July 2027.
Dinner Before the Show, in Terrace Park
The newest place to eat nearby is on the Terrace Park end of Wooster Pike. The Cincinnati Enquirer reported in July that Tillie's Garage was opening at 704 Wooster Pike in the former Golden State Tacos space. The menu includes handcrafted sandwiches, appetizers, cocktails, beer and wine, plus a kids menu. Its website now says the garage doors are open and offers indoor and outdoor dining. It works for an early dinner before a showing at the Mariemont Theatre or a performance of A Tuna Christmas.
The Megan Stacey Group is proud to call these villages home, and we will be out for Luminaria night along with everyone else. If you are thinking about a home within walking distance of Old Town Square and the theater, let's talk about your next move. Schedule a free consultation.
