Avalon Silent Film Showcase 2025: Opening Night Guide & Stays

Lights, organ, action! Catalina Island’s enduring love affair with Hollywood comes flickering back to life on Friday evening, May 16, 2025, when the 38th Annual Silent Film Showcase raises the curtain on its Opening Night in Avalon. Presented by the Catalina Museum for Art & History, the showcase transforms the landmark Avalon Casino Theatre into a 1920s picture palace, complete with live musical accompaniment and the soft whirr of a restored 35-millimeter projector. Whether you’re a cinephile, a history buff, or simply hunting for a memorable spring getaway, this one-of-a-kind cultural event is reason enough to plan an island escape.

A night steeped in silver-screen lore

Avalon’s art-deco Casino Theatre was built in 1929 as William Wrigley Jr.’s gift to summer moviegoers, and its perfect acoustics once lured studios to test “talkies” before mainland premieres. Opening Night taps directly into that heritage. The program begins at 7:30 p.m., but arrive early—the theatre doors open at 6:30 p.m. so guests can admire the restored maritime murals and settle into the original leather seats beneath a star-studded dome. General-admission tickets are a wallet-friendly $10, an intentional nod from the museum to the nickelodeon days.

This year’s spotlight feature is the centennial restoration of The Phantom of the Opera (1925), Lon Chaney’s tour-de-force that defined the horror genre. In honor of its 100th birthday, the Museum has commissioned an original score by celebrated composer Michael D. Mortilla, to be performed live by a chamber ensemble—turning the screening into a multisensory time machine BroadwayWorld. Every note will reverberate off the theatre’s circular walls exactly as it did for flapper-era audiences.

Why May is the sweet spot

Mid-May occupies a Goldilocks zone on Catalina: post-spring-break calm, pre-summer surge. Daytime highs hover around a comfortable 70 °F, ferry prices remain reasonable, and hotel demand hasn’t yet stretched availability thin. Travelers who plan about a month in advance (right about now) can still score coveted Friday-to-Sunday itineraries that wrap the showcase into a long weekend.

Pack in daylight adventures—kayak the crystalline coves off Descanso Beach, bike up to the Wrigley Memorial’s hilltop gardens, or tackle a segment of the Trans-Catalina Trail—and still have time to freshen up before the red-velvet curtain rises. Because the screening ends around 10 p.m., night-owls can stroll Crescent Avenue’s waterfront for late-night gelato, while early-risers can head straight to bed and greet sunrise with coffee on the Green Pleasure Pier.

Where to stay: Avalon buzz or Hamilton Cove serenity?

If you want to walk from popcorn line to pillow in five minutes flat, base yourself in Avalon proper. Our curated collection of airbnb Catalina Avalon homes ranges from quaint Craftsman cottages tucked behind Whittley Street to modern condos with balcony views of the Casino’s illuminated rotunda. Families or friend-groups seeking a resort-style enclave should explore the gated hillside of airbnb Catalina Island Hamilton Cove, a three-minute golf-cart ride from town but worlds away in tranquility. Here, Mediterranean-style villas cascade toward a private beach club where you can snorkel in marine-reserve waters before slipping into the communal spa.

Both neighborhoods sell out quickly for event weekends, so secure your preferred rental while ferry schedules are still wide-open. Catalina Holiday’s local team can bundle round-trip Catalina Express tickets with your booking and even pre-stock your kitchen—handy when you’re arriving just in time for showtime.

Making the journey part of the story

Getting there: Most visitors embark from Long Beach, San Pedro, or Dana Point on the Catalina Express ferry (approx. one hour). Friday afternoon boats fill first; if possible, snag an early-morning departure and give yourself a buffer against traffic or marine delays. Upgrading to the Commodore Lounge earns you priority boarding and a complimentary drink—an easy splurge that keeps the travel mood celebratory.

Tickets & seating: Purchase Opening Night tickets online through the Catalina Museum to avoid will-call queues. Seats at the Casino Theatre are unassigned parquet style; for a centered screen view, aim for rows 12–18. The theatre’s original organ console is stage-right—arrive a bit earlier if you want to watch the pianist’s hands literally pull out all the stops during pre-show overtures.

Dress code: Evening temps can dip into the low 60s once ocean breezes pick up. Locals favor smart-casual layers: think linen sport coats, shawl-collar cardigans, and wrap-style dresses paired with flat espadrilles suitable for Avalon’s brick promenade. A lightweight scarf doubles as both style statement and makeshift blanket during quieter scenes.

Beyond Opening Night: the full Silent Film weekend

If you can extend your stay through Saturday, the festival shifts to a matinee format. The Casino Theatre hosts a 1:30 p.m. screening of Phantom with a panel on early special effects makeup, followed by glass-slide lantern reels in the Museum courtyard. Sunday offers a “round-the-island shipwrecks & film-history” cruise for serious buffs. Booking back-to-back showings lets you trace cinema’s leap from silent shadows to early Technicolor—while still leaving mornings free for zip-lining or a golf-cart photo safari up to Mt. Ada.

Insider tips from the Catalina Holiday team

1. Conserve screen time—Phones must stay dark inside the theatre. Bring a small red-lens flashlight if you plan to jot notes.
2. Order the Chimes Tower Spritz at nearby Luau Larry’s for an on-theme Art-Deco aperitif. Mention Catalina Holiday for a locals’ discount (they know us!).
3. Add a mid-week night—Many rentals drop to shoulder-season rates Sunday-through-Thursday, so an extra night often costs less than mainland parking plus ferry fare.

Last reel: book your cinematic island stay now

The Silent Film Showcase stands apart from typical “dinner-and-a-movie” nights on the mainland; it’s a multi-day immersion in Catalina’s glamorous celluloid past, amplified by ocean air and live music. Pairing the event with a stay in one of Catalina Holiday’s professionally managed vacation homes means you’ll enjoy the rare film prints without sacrificing pillow-top comfort, contactless check-in, or a sunrise balcony view.

Browse our hand-picked Avalon bungalows or Hamilton Cove villas, lock in your travel dates, and let our concierge handle the details—so all you have to do is sit back, watch the silver screen flicker to life, and applaud like it’s 1925.