History
Back in 1914, a new cinema came to 19 Utica Street in Hamilton. Through the decades, it has served as a shoe repair shop, community garage, and manufacturing warehouse. Like a trunk of costumes hidden away in the attic, it was waiting to be rediscovered and used once again for the entertainment and edification of art lovers, young and old. In 2002, the wait came to an end. The Palace Theater returned to its roots after a $2 million renovation, financed through gifts to the Colgate University Parents and Grandparents Fund. Operations transferred to the Hamilton Initiative. In 2015, just in time for the building's 101st birthday, a group of devoted Hamiltonians formed a new entity, Arts at the Palace (AATP), to take over Palace Theater management from the Hamilton Initiative. This 501(c)(3) is a new twist on a proven idea: art is best presented by the people, for the people.
Specialties
Space is never an issue when you have a palace! If you're hosting a dance, wedding reception, company party, family reunion, or any other large-scale event, The Palace Theater will roll out the red carpet for you and your honored guests. Located in the very heart of Central New York in the historic Chenango Valley, Hamilton has been a home for many since the mid-1700s; offering a picturesque setting and an abundance of local charm, and was recently named one of the friendliest towns in America by Forbes magazine. A vibrant and quaint downtown area surrounds the Village Green with casual dining restaurants, cafes, specialty shops, movie theater, a natural health food store, Madison County's first micro-brewery, a yoga/pilates studio, the historic Colgate Inn and the Colgate University Bookstore. Recreation abounds in the area including approximately nine miles of Village-maintained trails along the former Ontario and Western Railroad right-of-way and the original Chenango Canal towpath. The Village also supports Seven Oaks Golf Course, an award-winning Robert Trent Jones course, hiking trails, waterways and breathtaking cycling and running routes. Hamilton radiates a vibrancy that represents our local sense of pride and place, and extends a warm welcome to all our visitors, residents and neighbors. Contact us for rental information, including availability, pricing, venue specifications, and event-planning services.