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San Francisco’s Castro Theatre to Reopen in February 2026 with Sam Smith Residency
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San Francisco’s Castro Theatre, a century-old architectural and cultural icon at the heart of the city’s LGBTQ+ community, is set to reopen in February 2026 after a two-year closure for extensive renovations. The announcement has been met with excitement and anticipation by residents, business owners, and queer communities locally and beyond, marking a significant moment in the ongoing story of one of America’s most storied LGBTQ+ spaces .
The reopening will be celebrated with an eight-night residency by Sam Smith, the Grammy-winning British pop star and openly nonbinary artist, whose presence is seen as both a tribute to the venue’s legacy and a statement for its future. Smith’s performances, scheduled for February 10–21, 2026, will inaugurate the restored venue, which has undergone $41 million in renovations overseen by Another Planet Entertainment .
The Castro Theatre, first opened in 1922, has long stood as a gathering place for queer cinema, performance, and activism. In 2022, Another Planet Entertainment assumed management, initiating a multi-million dollar renovation to modernize the building while preserving its signature Spanish Colonial Baroque façade and opulent interior details .
The renovation aimed to secure the theatre’s future as a multipurpose venue, with upgrades including state-of-the-art sound and lighting, improved accessibility, and a more flexible auditorium layout designed to accommodate concerts, film screenings, comedy, live podcasts, and community events throughout the year. Allen Scott, President of Concerts and Festivals at Another Planet Entertainment, emphasized, “We’ll have concerts, podcasts, movies, comedy… programmed for over 300 nights a year. It’s going to be very active, and I think it’s going to serve the community really well” .
The two-year closure, however, was not without challenges. Renovation delays, rising costs, and debates over the theatre’s evolving focus sparked passionate responses from community members and movie lovers concerned about the future of film programming in the venue. Another Planet Entertainment has responded by affirming its commitment to maintaining film as a key part of the Castro Theatre’s offerings, alongside new forms of live entertainment .
The decision to have Sam Smith headline the reopening is deeply symbolic for many in the LGBTQ+ community. Smith, a globally recognized performer who uses they/them pronouns, made history in 2022 as the first openly nonbinary artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 with their song “Unholy” . Their presence at the Castro Theatre—an iconic location in LGBTQ+ history—underscores the venue’s enduring significance as a site of visibility, celebration, and inclusion.
Smith’s residency, titled “To Be Free: San Francisco,” will feature eight concerts and is named after their latest single, “To Be Free.” The artist teased the announcement with a TikTok video filmed beneath the Castro Theatre’s illuminated marquee, generating waves of excitement across social media and in the neighborhood itself .
“Getting a huge artist like Sam Smith… was a huge shot of adrenaline of what is going to be an already exciting reopening,” said Nate Bourg, President of the Castro Merchants Association, highlighting the positive impact anticipated for local businesses and the broader Castro community .
For many in San Francisco and the global LGBTQ+ community, the Castro Theatre is much more than a venue—it is a gathering place, a symbol of resistance, and a living memorial to generations of queer culture and activism . The theatre has hosted rallies, film festivals, drag shows, and countless events central to the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights and visibility. Its closure during renovations was keenly felt, with at least 15 neighboring storefronts shuttering amid a downturn in foot traffic .
Gregg Perloff, CEO and co-founder of Another Planet Entertainment, reaffirmed the venue’s renewed commitment to equity and inclusion, stating, “Our goal is to activate and re-energize the building with equity, inclusion, and community at the forefront. We look forward to contributing to the vibrancy and economic health of the Castro while honoring its legacy as an LGBTQ+ landmark and cultural anchor” .
Business owners and community leaders hope the theatre’s revival will catalyze a broader economic and cultural recovery for the neighborhood. With over 300 nights of programming planned annually, the Castro Theatre aims to serve as a resilient hub for both traditional moviegoers and a new generation of LGBTQ+ artists, performers, and audiences .
As the Castro Theatre prepares to turn the lights back on, its reopening is poised to be a milestone not just for San Francisco, but for LGBTQ+ communities everywhere—a testament to the enduring power of queer spaces, representation, and collective celebration .
