Update April 9, 2026: Owners of the Fremont Theater say the historic building is open and back in business. “The City has given us the green light,” they announced in an email today. “The Fremont Theater is ready to welcome you in once again.”
The historic Fremont Theater can reopen after weeks of being closed due to safety concerns, according to a city news release.
An engineer evaluated the theatre’s damaged sign and determined the building itself is safe, and city staff reviewed the evaluation and reinstated the building’s certificate of occupancy effective April 8.
“Now we’ll start restoring the storm damage,” Fremont co-owner Rob Rossi said.
Pedestrians can use pedestrian tunnels installed on the sidewalk in front of the theatre as repair work continues. Lighting and security cameras are installed as additional safety precautions.
“We’re over the moon about the news about Fremont,” according to SLO International Film Festival director Skye McLennan. “The Fremont has been a beloved venue to our community and our film festival for the last 32 years. We are looking forward to hosting some of our staple events there, such as Surf Nite and our Opening Night.”
The festival’s opening night is scheduled at the Fremont on April 23. McLennan said the festival is “thankful to the Fremont staff, city, and partners who have been working behind the scenes over the last several weeks to ensure the building’s safety and to make this possible.”