After three-year expansion project, Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin ready for its debut
After a three-year, $14.4 million expansion, the Hemmens Cultural Center is ready for its coming out party.
The city of Elgin will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the theater at 45 Symphony Way. That will be followed by an afternoon of live entertainment, immersive experiences and the first headline performance of the building’s new era.
“It's a special thing to be involved in a project like this,” said Amanda Harris, Director of Cultural Arts & Special Events. “The work of so many people over the course of so many years all working in the same direction is finally coming to fruition.”
The project involved a roughly 11,000-square-foot addition to the north side of the building, with a covered patron drop-off, a new box office and an indoor/outdoor reception area. Long-awaited bathrooms were added to the first floor.
While the theater hasn’t changed, a lot behind the scenes has. Harris says it will be a boon to bookings.
“Having things like a walk-up box office, more dressing rooms and green room space allows us to bring in high caliber artists from around the globe that have more technical needs that we can now accommodate,” she said.
Guests on Saturday will be able to explore the newly renovated space, enjoy complimentary refreshments and engage with local arts organizations. Attendees will also get a preview of the upcoming 2025-2026 performance season.
At 4 p.m., the 360 ALLSTARS, an acclaimed urban circus performance group, will take the stage. The group fuses street culture with athleticism and features BMX stunts, breakdancing, acrobatics, basketball, drumming and more. The show has toured internationally, including performances on Broadway and at the Sydney Opera House.
Tickets for the performance are $5.
Harris said the changes will make everyone, from the guests to performers to vendors to backstage workers feel “comfortable and at home.”
“It feels like a place you want to be, which is always the goal.”