The neon sign will blaze again as the long-vacant building becomes Denver’s newest midsize music and entertainment venue. PAGE A7

After decades of darkness, the Federal Theatre will relight its neon sign this summer as the city’s newest mid-size music and entertainment venue.

The 650-capacity theater, which was built in 1923 as a movie house, stopped showing films in the mid-1970s, said co-owner Scott Happel, and has essentially remained the same since then. In fact, it has been commercially dormant for so long that the city lacked electronic records of its history, prompting officials to dive into boxes of yellowing files to enter details into their permitting system.

However, the building, at 3830 Federal Blvd., was in surprisingly good condition when Happel first walked through it in November 2023, which helped him envision its future as a revived public venue for Denver’s northwest side.

“A church had been utilizing the space off and on for quite a while, but to what degree? We don’t really know,” said Happel, who also co-owns the Oriental Theater, 4335 W. 44th Ave.

“But it’s great for us because during busy season in the spring and fall, we’re turning shows away from the Oriental, so this could catch some of that spillover.”