The Palace Theatre, Stamford: A Complete Guide
The Palace Theatre is downtown Stamford's historic stage — a 1927 landmark that's been Fairfield County's go-to room for concerts, comedy, dance and touring theater for decades. Run by the nonprofit Stamford Center for the Arts, it's the kind of mid-size house where you can see a marquee comedian or a legacy band from a real seat, close to the action.
A 1927 landmark
The Palace opened in 1927, designed by the prolific theater architect Thomas W. Lamb — the same architect behind Waterbury's Palace — and was hailed at the time as one of Connecticut's most magnificent theaters. After closing as a movie house around 1980, it was restored and reopened in 1983 for live performance, and later improvements enlarged the stage and upgraded the backstage and technical facilities. Today it seats about 1,580.
What plays there
The booking is genuinely varied: national touring concerts across rock, pop, soul and jazz; big-name stand-up comedy; ballet and dance; opera; family shows; and touring Broadway productions. It's also home to a roster of resident companies — among them Connecticut Ballet and the region's orchestra and youth-music groups — so between the touring acts there's a steady stream of local performance too.
Never miss a Palace show
See every upcoming concert and show at the Palace Theatre — and 40+ other Connecticut venues — in the free CT Concert Center app.
Download on theApp StoreGetting there & parking
The Palace is at 61 Atlantic Street in the center of downtown Stamford — walkable from the restaurants and bars around Columbus Park, and an easy trip from the Stamford train station. The theater doesn't have its own lot, but several public garages sit within a couple of blocks (the Landmark Square garage is among the closest for evening shows), so plan to use one of those.
Around Fairfield County
The Palace is a cornerstone of the region's scene — see what else is on in our guide to live music in Fairfield County and the roundup of concert venues in Stamford. For the touring-theater side specifically, see Broadway shows in Connecticut.
Every Palace show lands in the CT Concert Center app, alongside every other venue across the state — the easiest way to keep up with what's coming to Stamford.