Clinton Street Theater
2522 SE Clinton Street, Portland, OR 97202
Open · verified by Lumina November 2026
A scrappy neighborhood theater that mixes classic and foreign titles, documentaries, drag and burlesque nights, and a Rocky Horror shadowcast that has run every week since 1978. Tickets are mostly $10.
Quick facts
- Type
- Repertory, Historic
- Address
- 2522 SE Clinton Street, Portland, OR 97202
- City
- Portland, Oregon
- Area
- Portland area
- Phone
- (971) 808-3331
- Opened
- 1915
- Hours
- Evening shows most days; weekend matinees
What to expect
On screen
- Cult and midnight movies
- Classics and revivals
- Documentaries
- International film
- Special events
- Film festivals
- Live performance
The story
The building was designed by Charles A. Duke and opened in 1915 as The Clinton, with room for about 300. Over the decades it carried other names, including the 26th Avenue Theatre in the mid 1940s and the Encore from 1969. In 1975 a collective of five people bought it, dropped the adult programming it had been showing, and booked foreign films, classics and midnight movies instead. The weekly Rocky Horror screenings began in 1978 and are counted among the longest continuous runs of that film anywhere. Management changed hands several times afterward: two operators took over in 1999, another couple bought the business in 2003 and installed the first heating and cooling, a new owner pair followed in 2012, and a group of six co-owners took over in 2022. The theater also hosts recurring festivals, including a bicycle-themed short film festival that started in 2003, a faux film festival, and a queer documentary festival.
Good to know
- What plays every week at the Clinton Street Theater?
- The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which has been screened weekly since 1978, now typically as a Saturday late show.
- What kinds of events happen here besides movies?
- The current schedule includes drag and burlesque shows, fundraisers, film festivals and shadowcast screenings.
- How much do tickets cost?
- Most screenings this week were listed at $10, with special events between $15 and $27.
- Where is Clinton Street Theater?
- Clinton Street Theater is at 2522 SE Clinton Street, Portland, OR 97202. Phone: (971) 808-3331.
- Is Clinton Street Theater open?
- Yes. Lumina verified Clinton Street Theater as open in November 2026. Check the theater's showtimes for today's schedule.
- How do I buy tickets for Clinton Street Theater?
- Buy tickets directly from the theater using the Showtimes & tickets button on this page. You can also call (971) 808-3331.
- What independent theaters are near Clinton Street Theater?
- Tomorrow Theater in Portland (0.6 mi), CineMagic Theater in Portland (0.7 mi), and Bagdad Theater in Portland (0.9 mi).
- Tomorrow TheaterCineMagic TheaterBagdad Theater
Getting there
2522 SE Clinton Street, Portland, OR 97202 · Get directions · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
Independent cinemas near Clinton Street Theater
Tomorrow Theater
Portland, OR · 0.6 mi
A restored 1925 theater on Division Street run by the Portland Art Museum's film and media center. It programs queer cinema, documentaries and family matinees, plus comedy, music and book events.
CineMagic Theater
Portland, OR · 0.7 mi
A Hawthorne Boulevard repertory house that fills the calendar with themed series: VHS nights, movie quizzes, family matinees and late-night oddities, plus visiting filmmakers. Tickets run about $10, less for matinees and students.
Bagdad Theater
Portland, OR · 0.9 mi
A 1927 Hawthorne neighborhood movie house run by McMenamins, with a pub, a large screen and balcony food delivery. Current films play midday and evening, with open-captioned shows on select days.
Studio One Theaters
Portland, OR · 1.0 mi
A dine-in cinema on Powell Boulevard where each ticket reserves a seat with table service: farm-to-table dishes, wine and draft beer arrive during the show. It also hosts game-show dinners and private events.
Avalon Theatre
Portland, OR · 1.1 mi
A low-price Belmont Street movie house with an attached Wunderland arcade. Tuesday tickets are $5, and the theater has long been known as one of Portland's cheapest nights out.
Laurelhurst Theater & Pub
Portland, OR · 1.4 mi
A 1923 neighborhood movie house on Burnside that pairs a food and beer menu with new independent releases and classic films. Tickets are $10, $7 for matinees and all day Tuesday, and the shows are 21+ in the evening.
More repertory cinemas in Oregon
Hours
Evening shows most days; weekend matinees
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