Union County Performing Arts Center
1601 Irving Street, Rahway, NJ 07065
Open · verified by Lumina November 2026
A restored 1928 movie palace in Rahway that mixes live shows with a classic film series on 35mm, plus sensory-friendly and senior-student matinees.
Quick facts
- Type
- Arts venue, Historic, Repertory
- Address
- 1601 Irving Street, Rahway, NJ 07065
- Phone
- (732) 499-8226
- Seats
- 1,334
- Opened
- 1928
- Hours
- Box office opens two hours before shows
- Historic listing
- National Register of Historic Places (#86001509)
What to expect
On screen
- Classics and revivals
- Family films
- Special events
- Live performance
At the theater
- 35mm projection
- Closed captions
The story
The building went up in Rahway in the late 1920s as a vaudeville and silent film palace, designed by New York architect David M. Oltarsh in a Classical Revival style. By the 1970s it was struggling as a regular movie house. A local nonprofit preservation group brought it back to life in 1984, and in 2006 the county put about 6.2 million dollars into renovating the main stage, which now holds roughly 1,334 seats. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in August 1986. The venue still runs a series of vintage films on 35mm film, sometimes introduced with music on its original Wurlitzer organ, and it hosts an annual film festival. A smaller, modern second stage was added in 2012.
Good to know
- Does UCPAC show classic films on film prints?
- Yes. The 2026-27 calendar lists several 35mm screenings, such as Rebel Without a Cause on Nov 15 and The Karate Kid on Nov 19.
- Are there sensory-friendly screenings?
- Yes. Frozen is scheduled as a sensory-friendly show on Dec 11, 2026.
- When does the box office open?
- Two hours before performances on show days.
- Where is Union County Performing Arts Center?
- Union County Performing Arts Center is at 1601 Irving Street, Rahway, NJ 07065. Phone: (732) 499-8226.
- Is Union County Performing Arts Center open?
- Yes. Lumina verified Union County Performing Arts Center as open in November 2026. Check the theater's showtimes for today's schedule.
- How do I buy tickets for Union County Performing Arts Center?
- Buy tickets directly from the theater using the Showtimes & tickets button on this page. You can also call (732) 499-8226.
- What independent theaters are near Union County Performing Arts Center?
- Cranford Theater in Cranford (3.5 mi), St. George Theatre in Staten Island (11 mi), and State Theatre in New Brunswick (12 mi).
- Cranford TheaterSt. George TheatreState Theatre
Getting there
1601 Irving Street, Rahway, NJ 07065 · Get directions · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
Independent cinemas near Union County Performing Arts Center
Cranford Theater
Cranford, NJ · 3.5 mi
A multi-auditorium neighborhood cinema in downtown Cranford that plays current releases alongside sensory-friendly family screenings, a pajama-night series, live event broadcasts and room rentals.
St. George Theatre
Staten Island, NY · 11 mi
A restored 1929 movie and vaudeville house in St. George, Staten Island, now mainly hosting concerts and comedy, with occasional film nights. Run by a nonprofit restoration group.
State Theatre
New Brunswick, NJ · 12 mi
A 1921 theater in downtown New Brunswick run by a nonprofit, now mainly a stage for touring music, comedy, dance and family shows, with an occasional film series.
Alpine Cinema
Brooklyn, NY · 14 mi
A Bay Ridge neighborhood theater on Fifth Avenue playing current releases, with a number of open-caption (on-screen subtitle) showings each day.
Clairidge
Montclair, NJ · 14 mi
Montclair Film's main Bloomfield Avenue screen for new independent, international and documentary releases, with opera broadcasts from the Met added to the calendar.
Roxy Cinema Tribeca
New York, NY · 16 mi
A basement art-house cinema in a Tribeca hotel, styled after 1920s movie palaces, showing independent releases, archival prints and 35mm cult favorites with Q&As. It sells popcorn, beer, wine and cocktails.
More arts venue cinemas in New Jersey
Hours
Box office opens two hours before shows
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