The popcorn was different. That’s the first thing anyone from Santa Rosa will tell you when you ask about Summerfield Cinemas. It wasn’t that neon-yellow, hyper-processed stuff you find at the megaplexes. It was real. It was buttery. It was the kind of snack that made sitting through a three-hour subtitled Bulgarian drama feel like a luxury.
But if you’re looking for summerfield theater santa rosa showtimes today, you’re going to run into a frustrating wall of "no results found" or outdated third-party listings.
The truth is a little heartbreaking for the local film community. After decades of serving as the North Bay’s premier destination for indie flicks, foreign cinema, and those hard-to-find documentaries, Summerfield Cinemas officially closed its doors in March 2025. The screens have gone dark at 551 Summerfield Road, leaving a massive hole in the city’s cultural fabric.
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What Happened to Summerfield Cinemas?
It wasn't a sudden thing. Honestly, it was more like a slow fade-out. For a while, there was hope. Back in 2024, rumors swirled that Planet Fitness might buy the building and turn the theater into a gym. Locals actually took to the streets, protesting in the Santa Rosa heat to save their "third place."
That deal eventually fell through, which felt like a victory at the time. But the relief didn't last long. By early 2025, owner Dan Tocchini confirmed the inevitable: the theater just couldn't recover from the post-pandemic slump. Between the rise of streaming and a weirdly thin schedule of prestige indie releases, the numbers didn't add up anymore.
The final screenings took place on March 9, 2025. It was a nostalgic, teary-eyed goodbye where former ushers from the 1970s showed up to share stories about meeting their spouses over the concession counter.
Where to Find Movies in Santa Rosa Now
Since you can't get summerfield theater santa rosa showtimes at the original spot anymore, you've basically got three main alternatives in town. Each has a totally different vibe, so it depends on what you're actually looking for.
1. The Roxy Stadium 14 (Downtown)
This is the big brother. If you want the latest Marvel movie or a massive blockbuster like Avatar: Fire and Ash, this is where you go. It’s located at 85 Santa Rosa Avenue. It’s got the luxury loungers—those big, motorized recliners that make it way too easy to fall asleep if the movie is boring.
2. Airport Stadium 12
Located up at 409 Aviation Way, this is usually the cleanest and most "modern" feeling of the bunch. They also have the reclining seats and a solid selection of beer and wine. If you were a Summerfield regular because of the "Hollywood and Wine" program, the Airport Stadium is your best bet for a replacement.
3. Rialto Cinemas (Sebastopol)
If you are specifically mourning the type of movies Summerfield played—the A24 gems, the Oscar contenders, and the weird foreign stuff—you have to drive over to Sebastopol. Ky Boyd, who actually helped establish the art-house formula at Summerfield years ago, runs the Rialto. It’s the spiritual successor to the Summerfield vibe.
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Why the "Summerfield Experience" Was Unique
Most people didn't go to Summerfield for the technology. Let’s be real: the sound system was getting a bit dated, and the seats were those old-school rockers, not the fancy couches.
You went there because it felt like a community. It was the place where you could see a movie without being bombarded by thirty minutes of "Noovie" trivia and loud car commercials. It was quiet. It was respectful.
- The Programming: They took risks. You’d see posters for movies you’d never heard of, featuring actors whose names you couldn't pronounce.
- The Location: Right across from Howarth Park. A perfect Saturday involved a walk around the lake and then ducking into the cool darkness of the theater.
- The Concessions: Again, the popcorn. They used real butter. It sounds like a small thing, but in a world of "buttery-flavored topping," it was a revolution.
The Future of 551 Summerfield Road
As of 2026, the building's future is still a bit of a question mark. While the theater equipment has been mostly cleared out, the community is still pushing for the space to remain some kind of cultural hub rather than just another retail block.
There's been talk of a performing arts group taking interest, but nothing is set in stone. For now, the marquee that once advertised the best cinema in Sonoma County sits empty.
Actionable Steps for Local Moviegoers
If you’re still hunting for that indie theater fix, here is how to navigate the current Santa Rosa scene:
- Check Santa Rosa Cinemas Official Site: Don't trust Google's automated "Showtimes" box for Summerfield; it often pulls "ghost listings." Go directly to the Santa Rosa Cinemas website to see what's playing at the Roxy or Airport.
- Support the Rialto: If you want art-house theaters to survive in Sonoma County, you have to actually go. The Rialto in Sebastopol is now the primary guardian of that flame.
- Sign up for Newsletters: Since showtimes for indie films change fast and they often have limited runs (sometimes just a week!), getting on the email list for the Rialto or the Smith Rafael Film Center (if you don't mind the drive to San Rafael) is the only way to stay in the loop.
The loss of Summerfield Cinemas is a bummer, no doubt. It reminds us that these local spots aren't permanent. If you have a favorite local business or a weird little theater you love, go visit it this weekend. Don't wait for the "Final Screening" announcement to show your support.