Historic movie palaces / Benzie County
The Garden Theater
Frankfort's historic single-screen downtown cinema since 1924. Residents bought and saved it in 2008; now it runs first-run, indie and foreign films, a festival, concerts and a film-and-beer series.
Quick facts
- Opened
- 1924
- Architect
- R.L. Simmons (per Cinema Treasures)
- Style
- Art Deco
- Seats
- 592
- Screens
- 1
- Resident companies
- Friends of the Garden Theater
- Formerly
- Victoria Theater
What makes it special: Dolby 5-channel digital sound installed in the 2009 renovation; live webcam; also a concert venue (Live at The Garden).
01 / Now showing
Now showing
Announced lineup
What the venue announced on its own site when we last checked (2026-09-26). Click through for exact times and tickets.
- FilmBreakfast at Tiffany's (Garden Classic Movies, free) ↗
- FilmS4: The Bob Lazar Story (free screening) ↗
- FestivalManhattan Short Film Festival 2026 ↗
- FilmGreat Michigan Gathering: Priya Parker (live-stream watch party) ↗
- Festival18th Annual Frankfort Film Festival ↗
- ComedyHere:Say Storytelling: Frosty Frankfort ↗
02 / The story of this place
Make time for these
The Garden Theater opened in August 1924 as the Victoria Theater and became the Garden before 1941. Decades of decline eventually left it running only in summer. Community members bought it in June 2008, renovated it over the winter and reopened it on June 18, 2009; the nonprofit Friends of the Garden Theater owns and runs it. It shows first-run, independent and foreign films and is home to the annual Frankfort Film Festival and the Frankfort48 film contest. The Dark & Stormcloudy series with Stormcloud Brewing pairs films with beer, and Live at The Garden brings concerts.
- Since 1924, saved by the community in 2008
- Dark & Stormcloudy: movies with beer
- Frankfort Film Festival: Oct. 15–18, 2026
Plan your visit
It's at 301 Main St in downtown Frankfort; call (231) 352-7561. On September 29, 2026, Breakfast at Tiffany's screens free as part of Garden Classic Movies.
A closer look
Cinemas nearby
Back to cinemas ↗Film festivals / Frankfort
Frankfort Film Festival
An autumn film festival at Frankfort's historic Garden Theater, organized by the nonprofit Friends of the Garden Theater. The 2026 edition runs October 15–18.
Drive-ins / Honor
Cherry Bowl Drive-In Theatre
A 1950s-themed drive-in in Honor, deep in Northwest Michigan's cherry country, since 1953. Always a double feature, vintage cartoons on 35mm, and sound from the original tube-amp speaker posts.
Historic movie palaces / Elk Rapids
Elk Rapids Cinema
A well-preserved Art Deco single-screen house in Elk Rapids since 1940. The ceiling is covered by what the owners call the world's largest black-light mural, and Monday nights bring free classics.