Welcome to The Edward C. Smith Civic Center!

Our Renovations:

As of January 2022, We are pleased to announce the addition of over 14 new restrooms, a beautiful new entryway, a completely renovated kitchen, new sound and light boards, and a the new Turlington Annex graciously brought to us by the Turlington Family and the City of Lexington, North Carolina.

The Turlington Annex:

For more information on The Turlington Annex, see this article from The Dispatch.

Who We Are:

The Edward C. Smith Civic Center is Lexington’s premier historical theatre located in the heart of uptown Lexington on Main Street.

The Civic Center is available to rent as a special events venue for private parties, business meetings and conferences, weddings, receptions, corporate events, benefits and more.

The Civic Center opened its doors as the Carolina Theatre on December 13, 1948, with a showing of “Paleface.” The price of admission was 36 cents. The Smith Civic Center is one of the few remaining Carolina Theatres in existence today. Serving as the cultural anchor of the revitalized historic district of Uptown Lexington, the Civic Center has served many generations and looks forward to serving many more. Would you like to sponsor one of our events at The Smith? Check out this Sponsorship Information and see how you can make a difference right here in Lexington!

From The Smith:

At the Edward C. Smith Civic Center, we believe Black Lives Matter. We do not condone racism, discrimination and oppression. It is our responsibility to provide a space where all individuals feel a sense of security in sharing their creativity through art, motion and music. In order to ensure a complete, creative experience within our community, we are committed to the necessary advancement required to provide total equity, acceptance and inclusion for everyone in our community. This includes our staff, patrons, community partners and Board of Directors. Everyone, from all walks of life, are always welcomed at “The Smith.”

TO KEEP UP WITH CURRENT EVENTS PLEASE FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM!

Interested in the full history of the Edward C. Smith Civic Center? Click here to learn more!

Hours of Operation

9am-6pm M-F

OUR MISSION

The mission of the Edward C. Smith Civic Center is to offer and support activities that enrich community, culture and the arts.They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so take two minutes to watch our film and please consider giving a tax deductible gift to help us sustain our operations, knowing that we have had to cancel or postpone all events from March 2020 until July 2021

Announcing Showcase @The Smith:A podcast through The Smith to recognize and promote our North Carolina artists, patrons, and organizations. The series will consist of episodes ranging from 30 minutes to 1 hour, and will be posted on platforms including Apple’s Podcast Service, Spotify, and through our Facebook and Instagram Pages.