The history of the Palace Theatre in downtown Frostburg has always been a story of change. From the theatre’s early days as a nickelodeon, through the silent period and into the era of “talkies,” from black and white to technicolor: anyone has been able to buy a ticket, settle into a seat, and be transported by the magic of cinema.
Behind the magic has always been a community: film-lovers devoted to keeping movies alive in Frostburg. Today, we still line Main Street each month to see a film with our neighbors. We volunteer as ticket-takers, projectionists, and popcorn sweepers. We always raise the roof…like we did over the past three years by literally raising money to put a new roof on the Palace—the crown of downtown Frostburg.
But the roof isn’t the only update the Palace needs.
Our volunteers have been carefully nursing along the theater’s 20-year-old projection unit and 70’s-era sound system. Although this technology served us well for a long time, that time has passed and it’s beginning to fail. Looking to the future, we’ve embarked on a process to bring state-of-the-art 5.1 surround sound audio and 2k digital projection to our cinema. The Sound and Vision Project.
The surround sound will soon be installed, and the Palace will reverberate with crisp, immersive audio–a huge improvement. The next stage is the $80,000 purchase and installation of a 2k digital projection system. This will deliver picture quality that is as sharp and clean as it gets, offering audiences an unrivaled viewing experience.
To make these projection upgrades, we need your support to get the Palace ready for its next 120 years. The movies are alive in Frostburg because the community has chosen to keep them alive, year after year. We hope you will choose to help the Palace in its evolution. Whether you can give one dollar or a few thousand, come to an event, or just help spread the word, you will be helping us “project confidence” in the future of the Palace Theatre—and the future of film in Frostburg.
The Palace has always told great stories. But maybe its greatest is the story of the theatre itself. It’s a story of change, of community, of new technologies used to do an old thing—gather people around a light in the dark for the telling of tales. Together, we can keep that light flickering in downtown Frostburg and ensure great cinema will always live in our community. Together we can bring the gift of sound and vision to the Palace.
How to help:
- Join us for one of our upcoming fundraising events (below)–and bring friends!
- Donations can be sent to Frostburg Palace Theatre, P.O. Box 321 Frostburg MD, 21532
- Donate below, at any Palace event, or at our GoFundMe Page
- For more information visit or call Main Street Books in Frostburg – 301 689 5605
Frostburg Palace Theatre is an all-volunteer, charitable organization operated in accordance with section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Accordingly, charitable contributions to the Frostburg Palace may be tax deductible.
Sound & Vision Fundraising Events
| Event | Date | Time | What’s Going On? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frostburger Bingo | Saturday June 27, 2026 | Doors 7p Bingo 8p | Ten rounds of bingo, ten rounds of prizes. Each round called by a familiar Frostburg face |
| Yard Sale Under the Marquee | Saturday July 11, 2026 | 8a-2p | Antiques, vintage goods, and Palace memorabilia donated from the cabinets, attics, and basements of your neighbors. Coffee, conversation, and tours of the Palace too! |
| Sound & Vision Raffle Drawing | Thursday August 20, 2026 | Raffle winner gets a free private screening of a film of their choice for 100 people at the Palace. Tickets are $5 @ Main Street Books or any Palace event. | |
| The Grateful Dead Movie | Saturday August 8, 2026 | Doors 7p Show 7:30 | Thanks to WFWM, we’ll be showing the Grateful Dead’s famous concert film highlighting their five-night run at Winterland in San Francisco in October, 1974. |
| Mid-summer Nights Concerts | TBD | @ClatterCafe. Bands and Dates to be announced |