The Fox Theatre — known affectionately as the Fabulous Fox — is a 4,665-seat performing arts venue at 660 Peachtree Street NE in Midtown Atlanta, Georgia. Originally conceived as a Shrine Temple headquarters and later leased to movie mogul William Fox, it opened on Christmas Day 1929 as one of the most ornately decorated movie palaces in the American South, with a construction cost of approximately $2.75 million.
The auditorium’s interior replicates an Arabian courtyard, complete with a midnight-blue ceiling embedded with 96 twinkling crystal ‘stars’ and a working cloud machine that drifts across the simulated sky. After closing in 1974 when Southern Bell sought the land for demolition, Atlantans launched the grassroots ‘Save The Fox’ campaign and raised $3 million to restore and reopen the venue in 1975. Today the Fox hosts more than 250 performances annually, spanning Broadway touring productions, major concerts, ballet, opera, and a beloved summer film series.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: 660 Peachtree Street NE, Midtown Atlanta, Georgia
- Opened: December 25, 1929
- Capacity: 4,665 seats
- Architect: Olivier J. Vinour (Marye, Alger and Vinour)
- Style: Moorish and Egyptian Revival
- Shows Per Year: Over 250
- Famous For: Atlanta’s last surviving grand movie palace
A Palace of Exotic Architecture
Stepping inside the Fox Theatre is unlike entering any other concert hall. Architect Olivier J. Vinour drew on Spain’s Alhambra and Egypt’s Temple of Karnak to create an interior that feels like an outdoor plaza beneath a desert night sky. The auditorium’s ceiling simulates an open-air Arabian courtyard, with 96 embedded crystal stars that actually twinkle and a cloud-projection system that makes cotton puffs drift across the deep blue expanse above the audience. Elsewhere in the building, the Egyptian Ballroom channels a Karnak temple with hieroglyphic friezes, columns, and gold-leaf detailing — making the Fox a genuine architectural destination as much as a music venue.
The theatre anchors the Fox Theatre Historic District in Midtown Atlanta, and much of its original 1929 fabric remains intact. Gold leaf, intricate trompe l’oeil murals, carved plasterwork, and ornate chandeliers fill nearly every surface, giving performers and audiences alike the sense of being transported somewhere far removed from an ordinary night out.
From Movie Palace to Concert Landmark
The Fox opened with Walt Disney’s short film Steamboat Willie on its screens, and over the following decades it hosted everything from the 1946 world premiere of Song of the South to Elvis Presley’s live performances in 1956. The Grateful Dead played the Fox multiple times between 1977 and 1995, cementing its reputation as a bucket-list stop for touring acts. More recently, Prince performed what became his final concert at the Fox in 2016, and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon broadcast from the stage in July 2025.
After the ‘Save The Fox’ restoration campaign brought the theatre back from the brink in 1975, the venue transitioned from a cinema into a full-time performing arts and concert hall operated as a nonprofit. Its mix of Broadway touring productions, classical performances by the Atlanta Ballet and opera companies, high-profile pop and rock concerts, and annual summer film screenings keeps the Fox in continuous use and places it among the busiest theatre venues in the United States.
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Fox Theatre Atlanta FAQs
What kind of events does the Fox Theatre Atlanta host?
The Fox Theatre hosts a wide range of events including Broadway touring productions, major pop and rock concerts, ballet, opera, comedy shows, and a summer classic film series — more than 250 performances a year in total.
How many seats does the Fox Theatre Atlanta have?
The Fox Theatre has 4,665 seats, making it one of the largest and most storied concert and performing arts venues in the southeastern United States.
Can visitors take a tour of the Fox Theatre Atlanta?
Yes. The Fox Theatre offers guided tours of its Moorish and Egyptian Revival interior, including the star-studded auditorium ceiling and the ornate Egyptian Ballroom. Check the official Fox Theatre website for current tour schedules and ticket prices.
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Photo: Frank Schulenburg / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.