The Paramount Project

03/06/2026

📢REMINDER: This guy wants you on his work crew tomorrow.

Join us at the Paramount on Saturday, March 7th from 9:30AM to noon for our first community cleanup day. You’ll get messy, dress accordingly.

Together we will give this historic gem an encore performance.

02/17/2026

👀🚨VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! We’re moving forward with the next phase of the project and we need help! We’re opening our doors for a little spring cleaning. Wear your get-messy clothes and sturdy shoes. Got a favorite pair of work gloves? Bring ‘em.

🗓️Saturday, March 7th
⏰9:30AM - Noon
📍211 N. Queen St., Downtown Kinston

02/04/2026

📽️Since the new marquee was unveiled late last year, we've been hearing lots of lovely Paramount memories from local folks. In order to help capture these memories, we're launching a Share Your Story campaign!

Was the Paramount the site of your first kiss? Your high school part time job? Was it where you saw Jaws for the first time? We want to hear about it!

▶️Head to our website and share your personal story or fond memory of Kinston’s Paramount Theater: https://tinyurl.com/yxjwrf8r

12/02/2025

The Paramount’s new marquee is just step one of many to restore the theater to a vibrant community spot for entertainment. This Giving Tuesday, a small donation will help us support the next phase of the project. ✨Make sure to select the Paramount Theater from the dropdown menu ✨ ➡ https://givebutter.com/smartkinston2025

🎞Interested in donating time? We welcome ALL types of support! Sign up for our email list on our website to receive notification of community input meetings, work days, and other smART Kinston Foundation projects ➡ https://www.smartkinston.com/

11/25/2025

The Paramount marquee is now almost complete! We have letter tracks installed and the first message in many years is now on display. If you can't make it to the parade in person, be sure to tune in to the livestream of the Kinston Christmas Parade on Neuse News at 4:30 on December 6. The parade will be streamed LIVE in front of The Paramount this year! Many thanks to all involved in getting The Paramount to this point, our next act will be even more impressive! Stay tuned!

11/20/2025

👀One step closer to getting letters on the sign! Keep your eyes peeled, Kinston.

11/14/2025

🎄It was a gorgeous day for the crew to work on the Paramount’s soffit in anticipation of the Downtown Kinston Christmas Parade on 12/6. We’re excited to be the location of this year’s live stream!

08/27/2025

The ORIGINAL letters have taken their place back atop the Paramount Theater marquee!

08/27/2025

If you would like to donate to the Paramount Project, please visit this link:

https://checkout.square.site/merchant/MLF1RGCW49RB7/checkout/YA7764YD6I7IVXFX3OGKJDKB

All donations are tax deductible and you can donate any amount you wish. For a custom donation, please email Brandon Potter at [email protected] and you will be contacted for donation information. Thank you for your vision and generosity and thanks to all who have given their time, money or energy to this worthy cause!

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09/20/2024

UPDATE!!! In just about a month's time, Dean Baker and his crew have made major improvements to the facade! The entire front of the building above the marquee has been stripped of all the old plaster and paint and the new smooth surface has already been stuccoed. Stucco has also been applied to the lower level facade and work has begun on the window casings. Most, if not all, of the glass and the doors will inevitably have to be replaced. Boxes and electrical work have been installed for lighting underneath the marquee as well and the wooden joists have been repaired and any sags have been fixed. The metal band that makes up the outside of the marquee still needs a lot of work and the hundreds of lights around the perimeter will all need to be replaced...new technology will replace old, with LED's that will bring the Paramount back to life! After taking these pictures we met at Dean's shop and helped paint the original letters that were in the basement of the theater for a long time. They'll be painted back to their original white with red borders. Thanks to all who have helped with this so far!

If you would like to volunteer or donate, please don't hesitate to reach out! theparamountproject.com

Cheers!

08/31/2024

Today, the work started on the facade! Peeling away old layers of paint, mortar and time. Thank you to Downtown Kinston Revitalization for the facade grant and for the city and county, who have rallied behind the effort as well. Get excited everyone!

02/29/2024

As most of you already know, last year I began a conversation and movement that dreams to see the Paramount Theater lit up again, and eventually a working theater. This is an integral piece to revitalizing our downtown and merchant district...it simply can't go undone.

Everything to this point has just been pre-planning and getting a bearing on where the property stands and what actually needs to be done...and how much it will cost. There is still much to be done in this realm, however, we feel that the first stage and first set of significant funds should go to restoring the marquee and getting it lit up again. The number we have arrived at for that is around $150,000. To take it further could be $1M+ considering we are bringing a shell of a building up to the standards of a modern, functioning theater. Just from setting up the donation page, we've had almost $5000 in donations and a large local company has made a pledge to help with interior finishings. A couple of churches have also been willing to help us with cleanup, but there are a couple of things we need to do to ensure safety before we can schedule those dates.

I have attached sponsorship levels to give everyone a visual representation of what this amount of money looks like and how many players need to be involved to get us there. I envision some of our largest corporate sponsors dividing up the top levels over a few years. Then I see small businesses donating the lower levels and private citizens filling in the gaps with donations to purchase a "seat". Every dollar donated will be represented in the theater with advertising, placards, etc., as well as social media exposure, of course.

If you are interested in donating any dollar amount up to $5,000 you may do so at this link:

https://checkout.square.site/buy/MUST2W477P3TTOSJSX64ZQU5

For larger donations or if you'd like to set up a meeting with a member of our team, please email me at [email protected] and we will be happy to talk to you about how we can work together to make this dream a reality. Thank you all!

Brandon Potter, The Paramount Project