On Aug. 1, Pickford Film Center officially opened Pickford on Grand, a long-anticipated expansion just one block from its Bay Street location in downtown Bellingham. The new venue features three additional screening rooms—two 60-seat houses equipped with state-of-the-art 4K laser projection and a 19-seat “jewel box.”
“This expansion is about breathing room,” says Marketing Manager Gray Gordon. “We were always having to choose—do we keep a film longer or make space for something new? Now we don’t have to pick.”
Photograph by Rylie Obergfell
The need for more screens became clear during the pandemic, when Pickford lost access to its third screen at the Limelight on Cornwall Avenue. In 2021, the nonprofit purchased the building on Grand Avenue. A successful community fundraising campaign helped bring the vision to life, with about 2.7 million raised through both private donations and grants.
Opening weekend offered a mix of new indie releases and the classics “Casablanca” and “The Wizard of Oz.” But the venue isn’t just for film buffs—it’s also a home for community storytelling. Local film events like Bleedingham film festival and quarterly Storyteller Showcases will now have more space to thrive.
“This place has always been powered by people,” Gordon says. “It’s not just about watching movies—it’s about sharing them together.”
With more screens, better tech, and deeper ties to local creators, Pickford on Grand brings a fresh spark to Bellingham’s film culture—right where it belongs. Pickford on Grand, 105 Grand Ave., Bellingham, 360.647.1300, pickfordfilmcenter.org
