Lyric Council, Inc.

OUR STORY

The Lyric Theatre has been a gathering place for the Blacksburg community for more than 100 years.  It started operations in 1909, moving three times before finding its permanent home on College Avenue in 1930. At the time, The Lyric was only the third theatre in the state built for sound pictures. Pretty impressive for a rural town of only 1400 people! For more than 50 years the theatre thrived and became the center of cultural life as our small Appalachian town continued to grow and expand.

During the 1980s, the Lyric struggled to compete with the megaplexes and was in serious need of repairs and renovation. In 1989, the Lyric shuttered its doors. However, there was a new era in store for this Blacksburg landmark! In 1994, a group of dedicated citizens banded together to create the Lyric Council, determined to “Bring Back the Lyric.” 

After an extensive renovation process that took several years and was truly a labor of love for many community members, The Lyric celebrated its official grand re-opening on April 17, 1999. Today, The Lyric is once again a cultural center for Blacksburg and serves thousands of patrons a year with films, concerts, community programming, and educational events in a special setting that is like no other!

We are always grateful for the generous support of our community. Because of you, the show will go on!