Festival Hall, in the heart of downtown Greensboro was originally Greensboro’s

auditorium.  The building was constructed in 1939 by the Federal Works Agency
 
as a Public Works Administration project.  The 8,000 square foot building housed a

basketball court, wooden bleachers, and stage that were used for multi-purpose

functions for Greensboro High School until 1967. The Greensboro Auditorium functioned

not only as a school gymnasium and auditorium

during this time period, but also a space that was very much a central gathering place

for community events. From 1967 through 2005 the building housed county offices.      


The dream to acquire and restore the auditorium unto a cultural center started more

than ten years ago when a group of organizations combined their efforts to write a

letter to the Greene County Commissioners requesting that should the building ever

be vacated, they would like the opportunity to renovate it and make it into a cultural center.      


Groups and organizations from across the community were involved in making these initial

requests.  Early partners were Greensboro Better Hometown, Greene County Chamber of

Commerce, Greensboro Downtown Development Authority, Greensboro Art Alliance, Greene

County Historical Society, Greensboro Historical Preservation Commission and Greensboro

Business Association.     


In 2005, the county offices moved into new locations,

and the Greene County Board of Commissioners deeded

the building to the City of Greensboro’s Downtown Development Authority in 2006 for the
 
creation of a cultural center. The $2.5 million dollar renovation of Festival Hall is the

result of partnership between businesses, government, local civic groups and citizens. 

The funding partners are City of Greensboro, Greensboro Downtown Development

Authority, Greene County, Reynolds Plantation, Oconee Performing Arts Society (OPAS),

One Georgia Authority.      


The community indeed grasped the golden ring of Festival Hall and the heart of

downtown Greensboro is once again the gathering place for community and regional

events.


For more information on Festival Hall, please visit www.festivalhallgreensboro.com.