OXNARD — The Oxnard Performing Arts & Convention Center celebrates its 55th anniversary this Spring! The Center’s nonprofit arm, the Oxnard Performing Arts Center Corporation (OPAC), is kickstarting the festivities with a Casino Night on Saturday, April 29 to raise funds for its community programs which provide 5,000 low-income students with free access to art and music education.
On March 24, 1968 the Center was dedicated by then Mayor Bill Soo Hoo and Cleo LaBonte, a local piano teacher and head of the steering committee to build the auditorium. Its grand opening debuted with a performance by the King Family on March 30, 1968. The Center has hosted some of the biggest names in the performing arts – from Johnny Cash and Los Angeles Azules to Kevin Hart and Azis Ansari – reaching nearly 5 million visitors during its tenure. The on-site Convention Center continues to serve the regional needs of the community for special events, town halls, meetings, and more. Annually, the Center welcomes 350,000 patrons to over 1,500 events!
Casino Night is one of the Center’s first ever fundraisers. The City of Oxnard, which owns the property and buildings, financially supported the Center’s operations until 2019 when budget cuts nearly closed the facility. Without this government funding, operations must now be supported through earned income (like venue rentals), grants and donations.
“Developing a culture of philanthropy is quintessential to the Center’s success, to keeping the doors open and to keeping OPAC’s community programming, like youth art classes and the Dia de los Muertos celebration, accessible,” comments OPAC Executive Director, Carolyn Merino Mullin. “Everyone deserves a community brimming with art, music, dance, murals, festivals, and theater. Cultural anchors like this Center are pivotal to ensuring arts vibrancy.”
Casino Night attendees will enjoy Vegas-style casino games, great food, cocktails, and raffles, all while raising funds to support OPAC and its mission to foster and serve our community through inclusive programming, cultural and artistic exchange, and developing people-centered spaces.
OPAC’s Casino Night
Saturday, April 29, 2023 | 7 pm
Oxnard Performing Arts & Convention Center
800 Hobson Way, Oxnard, CA 93030
Tickets are a $50 donation