A full-scale street party with live bands, a magician, wine tasting and other entertainment is planned for July 11 to celebrate the latest renovations to the old State Theatre in Auburn.
Added this week to the venerable building were a new marquee and a new tower sign that will light up the sky for the first time during the night of the party.
Jane Amick of the Auburn Placer Performing Arts Center, owner of the theater, said the neon sign will give off light "with rainbow colors."
The lighting of the sign is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. at the street party in front of the theater at 985 Lincoln Way.
The party, which is free to the public, will begin at 6:30 p.m. and run until about 10 p.m.
The State Theatre opened in the 1930s and was a major part of Auburn's downtown scene.
The Auburn Placer Performing Arts Center purchased the theater two years ago from a private owner and set out to renovate the landmark building at an estimated cost of $6 million.
The group vowed to spend an initial $805,000 in the effort to turn the aging theater into a state-of-the-art venue for performers.
Hundreds of volunteers have worked in recent weeks to restore the building's facade, according to the center.
The group's goal is to provide a permanent home for the Auburn Symphony and a place for local and touring theater companies and musicians to perform.
Money for the theater's purchase came mostly from about two dozen investors and a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
In addition to the live entertainment, the July 11 party will feature tri-tip sandwiches sold by the Auburn Rotary Club and a no-host bar by the Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce.
Soft drinks and other refreshments will be available for children.
Call The Bee's Art Campos, (916) 773-2825.
