Saturday, February 22 | Doors: 12:00pm
Screenings: 1:00pm; 4:00pm; 7:00pm
$30 Tickets ($20 for children 12 and under, students, and seniors)
Brooklyn SciFi fans get a 20% discount off tickets using promo code: BSFFF2025
The historic United Palace in Washington Heights celebrates its 95th anniversary, held exactly on its 95th birthday, with a triple-feature screening of Star Wars: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi projected on a 50-foot screen, with 7.1 surround sound, and accompanied by live, interactive entertainment throughout the day.
This once-in-a-lifetime event features:
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Theatre organ performance of Star Wars music by Ian Fraser
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Stormtroopers from Empire City Garrison
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Yoda impression contest with special guest judges
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Costume parade across the stage
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Lightsaber duel of the fates by BBQ Films
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Specialty cocktails, raffles of movie memorabilia, and more!
EVENT SCHEDULE
12:00pm – Doors Open/theatre organ Star Wars music performed by Ian Fraser
12:30pm – Stormtroopers from Empire City Garrison
1:00pm – Star Wars: A New Hope
3:15pm – First raffle drawing
3:30pm – Yoda impression contest
4:00pm – Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
6:15pm – Second raffle drawing
6:30pm – Costume parade across the stage
6:45pm – Lightsaber duel of the fates by Project Mayhem Corp.
7:00pm – Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
9:15pm – Final raffle drawing
9:30pm – End of event
The spectacular theatre, with architecture described as "A kitchen sink masterpiece" by the New York Times, opened in 1930 as one of five Loew’s “Wonder Theatres,” premiere vaudeville and movie houses located in New York City and New Jersey. With 3,400 seats, the United Palace is Manhattan’s 4th largest theatre. It hosts concerts (Alicia Keys, Lenny Kravitz, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Bad Bunny, Wilco), TV and film shoots (Only Murders in the Building, John Wick 3), movie premieres (Halftime, In the Heights), and other corporate and community events.
The United Palace’s first act as a movie theatre ended in April 1969 with a screening of 2001: A Space Odyssey. After a 40-year hiatus, and with a groundswell of support from the community and our good friend, patron, and neighbor Lin-Manuel Miranda, movies returned to the United Palace in 2013. In tandem with the successful fund-raising campaign to purchase a new projector, screen, and surround sound system, Miranda collaborates with the United Palace to reinvent the moviegoing experience of the golden age of cinema for modern audiences with live entertainment. In addition to curated performances, special guest appearances in recent seasons have included Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Hugh Jackman, Danai Gurira, Billy Crystal, and Meryl Streep, among many others, who’ve attracted thousands of moviegoers to the heart of Washington Heights. (Watch a short video.)
The 2025 season of Movies at the Palace, including titles chosen by Lin-Manuel Miranda, will be announced in the coming weeks. All the movies will highlight the theme of community.
ACCESSIBLE SEATING & SERVICES CONTACT US AT 212-568-6700 Ext. 210 OR accessibilty@unitedpalaceevents.com
4140 Broadway at 175th Street, 1 block east of the 175th Street A-train station.