Entry No. 32 — the Santa Cruz file — filed under: midnight-movies
Del Mar Theatre
A 1936 art deco triplex on Pacific Avenue — restored in 2002 and now run by Landmark Theatres — still runs weekly Midnight Movies alongside its regular slate of independent and foreign films, with beer, wine, and organic popcorn instead of a concession-stand tub.
The story
Pacific Avenue isn't short on modern gloss, but the marquee at 1124 Pacific still glows with the unvarnished energy of 1936. While the City of Santa Cruz owns the physical shell and Landmark Theatres handles the projector schedules, the Del Mar operates far outside the mold of a corporate multiplex. It’s an Art Deco survivor that was rescued and meticulously restored in 2002, carving the historical footprint into a three-screen triplex without stripping away its period bones.
Step into the main house and you're sitting beneath the grand auditorium's original 1930s plasterwork ceiling, lit up by DLP digital projection. The concession stand quietly rejects the standard theater playbook: instead of mystery-oil butter and bucket-sized sodas, you're ordering organic popcorn, draft beer, and wine to take to your seat.
The true draw for night owls, though, is the weekly Midnight Movie slot. While daylight hours belong to the usual festival darlings and foreign releases, midnight belongs to cult classics, creature double-features, and genre obsessives who treat the main hall like a communal living room.
What it's like
Show up twenty minutes before showtime to navigate the line on Pacific Avenue, grab a beer and organic popcorn at concessions, and head straight for the main auditorium to secure a seat beneath the restored ceiling plaster. The midnight crowd is vocal, loyal, and full of locals—if a fan-favorite cult film is on the marquee, expect the front lobby to feel like a late-night house party.
The move: Skip the 7pm showtime and catch the weekly midnight slot instead — grab a beer at the bar first, then sit under the original grand-auditorium plasterwork for whatever cult or genre pick is running that week.
- 📍 Downtown Santa Cruz
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 1124 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Ulterior — Duck into this hidden second-floor speakeasy on Pearl Alley for a pre-show drink before walking a block over for the midnight film.
- Blue Lagoon — Carry the late-night momentum down Pacific Avenue to this long-running dive bar once the theater lights come up.
- Go Ask Alice — Browse the loose herbs and house-made tinctures at this Pacific Ave apothecary before catching an afternoon screening.
Good to know
Who actually owns and runs the theater?
The Del Mar is owned by the City of Santa Cruz and operated under contract by Landmark Theatres.
What kind of movies do they screen?
Their main schedule focuses on independent, foreign, and specialty releases, supplemented by a weekly Midnight Movie program featuring cult and genre films.
What food and drinks are available?
Concessions include organic popcorn made with real butter, along with options for beer and wine.
How many screens does the Del Mar have?
It operates as a three-screen triplex, including the original grand main auditorium.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · santacruzca.gov
last checked: 2026-07-20