Recent gifts have made the fundraising goals seem closer for the historic The Grand Oshkosh in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Located in downtown Oshkosh, the theater dates back to 1883, when it opened as the Grand Opera House for opera performances. It started hosting vaudeville acts in the 1920s and live performances, and it was known as the Granada Theatre by 1948. It was later renamed to the Civic Theater and started playing movies, and in 1950, it was renamed to the Grand Theatre. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. The city of Oshkosh purchased the building in 1980 and it was known as The Grand and used for rentals. The Oshkosh Opera House Foundation started managing the theater in 1989. It reopened in 2010 after a restoration project and now is primarily used for live performances.

We're not sure when the last movie was played there. If it's movies you're looking for, the Time Community Theater on Main Street and the Marcus Oshkosh Cinema on the outskirts of town are the closest options.

A $10 million renovation and expansion project is in the fundraising phase, with hopes to begin construction in Spring 2026 and completion in time for the 2027-2028 season. An article published recently in Oshkosh Northwestern (see list below) mentions that it has received five large donations that combine with other donations for a total of $8.4 million.

You can stay updated by visiting the theater's website and social media and even make a donation of your own. They have a full slate of events for the 2025-2026 season, so take a look at what's happening and when!

Related News Articles

• Oshkosh’s historic theater gets $8.4M boost for major expansion -- Oshkosh Northwestern [Oct 31, 2025]
• Oshkosh advances $10M Grand Opera House renovation with city, foundation funding -- Fox 11 News [Dec 11, 2024]