Fox Theatre, Redwood City

Stand on Courthouse Square in downtown Redwood City and look across Broadway. The building with the tall Gothic front and the marquee is the Fox Theatre. It opened in 1929 to show films. Today it is one of the larger live venues between San Francisco and San Jose, booking tribute bands, comedy, musicals, dance companies, touring productions and community events.

For Palo Alto readers it is close enough for a weeknight show. The Redwood City Caltrain station is a short walk away. This guide covers the theater's history since 1929, how its calendar and ticketing actually work and the house rules worth knowing before you go. Our downtown Redwood City guide covers the rest of the neighborhood.

From the New Sequoia to the Fox

A 1929 movie palace

According to the theater's own history, the building opened on January 2, 1929 as the New Sequoia Theater. Its builder, Ellis Arkush, had toured Europe and gathered architectural details he liked from theaters there. The result was a Moorish interior behind a Gothic exterior. The Reid Brothers of San Francisco carried out the design. The same firm is known for San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel.

The New Sequoia did not keep its name long. The Fox West Coast chain bought it only a few months after it opened. It ran as a movie house for years under the Fox name.

Renovation and live shows

In June 1950 the theater closed for about four months of renovation. It reopened in September 1950 and, in the decades that followed, became a venue for live performance as well as film. The theater's history names performers including Vanessa Williams, Etta James, Neil Young, Melissa Etheridge and B.B. King on its stage. It also lists later appearances by Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey.

Landmark status

The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the New Sequoia Theater Building. The federal register records the listing in May 1994, while the theater's own history gives 1993. Either way, the listing protects one of the few surviving movie palaces on the Peninsula alongside Palo Alto's own Stanford Theatre.

Foreclosure and revival

News reports from 2009 described the theater going into foreclosure over unpaid taxes and mortgage payments. In 2010 local entrepreneurs Eric and Lori Lochtefeld bought it and reopened it that September. In 2017 reports said that Peter Pau had acquired the property, with the Lochtefelds planning to keep running it for several more years. The theater's site says that since 2010 downtown Redwood City's theater district has had a renaissance. It describes the Fox hosting more than 150 public and private events a year.

The building and its spaces

The theater's website lists a seating capacity of 1,100 on two floors and about 250 in a banquet layout. Some older sources quote a larger historic capacity. For current shows, trust the theater's figure. The company also runs two other spaces it rents out:

• Club Fox, right next door, holds 240 people. It has a modular stage, a dance floor and its own sound and lighting.
• Fox Outdoors is pitched for groups of 500 or more. The company says its venues range from about 200 people to more than 8,000.

Inside the main theater, the Moorish styling that Arkush brought back from Europe is the reason to arrive a few minutes early and look around before the lights go down.

How shows work today

The Fox is mostly a rental and booking house rather than a producing theater. That shapes what you see on the calendar and how you buy tickets.

1. Most shows are booked in. Touring tribute bands, comedians, dance companies and community groups rent the theater or are booked by its staff. The company says it offers event planning, ticketing, catering and staffing to renters.
2. Some shows are sold by the theater. For those, the "Get Tickets" link on the Fox calendar goes to its own ticketing system.
3. Some are sold by promoters. Several events on the late 2026 calendar carry a note that tickets are not sold through the Fox and that buyers should contact the promoter directly. Read the listing before you buy.
4. The window is closed. The theater says its walk-up box office has been suspended since the pandemic. Tickets are sold online or by phone at (650) 443-7822, with phone hours posted on the site.

Because promoters vary, refund rules, seating maps and fees vary too. Buy from the seller the Fox calendar names. Avoid unofficial resale sites unless you understand the risks. For other Bay Area concerts you can search concert tickets near Palo Alto, but Fox shows usually sell through the theater or the named promoter.

What is on the calendar

We do not list invented or rumored shows. These are events the theater's own calendar showed in late October 2026, as a guide to the kind of programming it books:

Dates and sellers can change. Always confirm on the Fox event schedule. Our live music guide and theater guide cover what plays closer to Palo Alto.

House rules

The theater posts its policies online. The main points:

• Everyone needs a ticket, whatever their age. The policy says even very young children are charged admission.
• No outside food or drink, including water.
• All people and bags are subject to search. Some events use metal detector wands.
• Banned items include all tobacco and e-cigarettes, lighters, laser pointers, GoPros, recording devices, cameras with detachable lenses, tripods, weapons including pocketknives and pets. Trained service animals are allowed on a leash or harness.
• Staff can remove disruptive guests without a refund.

Check the policies page before a show, since a promoter may add its own rules.

Planning a night out from Palo Alto

1. Get there. Take Caltrain north to Redwood City. The theater is a short walk from the platform. See our Redwood City station guide. Driving takes 15 to 20 minutes outside rush hour, but garages fill on big nights.
2. Eat first. Broadway has restaurants within a block or two of the theater. Our Redwood City food guide lists places we confirmed are open.
3. Arrive early. Bag checks slow the line on sold-out nights.
4. Plan the trip home. Late trains run less often. Check the last southbound departure before the show.

For a full evening, pair a show with dinner and a walk around Courthouse Square, where the courthouse dome is lit at night. Our date night guide has more ideas closer to home. If you would rather not travel back late, you can compare hotels near downtown Redwood City.

Renting the theater

The Fox is also a private event venue. The company lists corporate events, galas, fundraisers, wedding receptions, conferences and birthday parties among the events it hosts. Its booking process runs from a rental form to a walk-through, a tentative hold and a signed lease. Booking inquiries go to a separate phone line listed on the venue page.

Frequently asked questions