First time attending. Beautiful showcase of great talent…read more Located at the market place. Easy to find The evening was nice and cool light crowd so you could take your time to appreciate the art.

Day 1 2026 I love…read moreVia Arté and am so thankful we have this amazing festival in Bakersfield. I actually stopped by twice on Day 1 and brought different friends and family with me on each visit. It is so neat to walk around and see the artists creating their masterpieces live. When the moment lended itself to it, I was sure to pay my compliments to the artists. All the artists were so kind. I love how open and casual the vibe is with such impressive professional chalk art. Shout out to the Bakersfield Museum of Art for organizing such an awesome event and The Marketplace for providing the space. It's great to see the art scene thriving in Bakersfield!

I loved this place and I loved the show! Wow! Wow! Wow! The actors were spectacular!…read more This is my first time here and I will definitely be back! I was fortunate enough to be invited to the show, "Get on your Feet!" It was full of fun, amazing talent and entertaining!

We did not eat dinner have ate here before and it is typical theater food…read more Service is good. We went to see man of La Mancha seating is excellent and I've probably seen over 20 shows here and never disappointed

You don't have to be a nerd to love the planetarium. Okay, maybe just a little but being smart is…read moretotally cool. And having unique science-y facts to throw around at parties makes you the uber-cool friend. At least that's what I tell myself. The boyfriend and I first ventured to the William M Thomas Planetarium at Bakersfield College about three years back. We wanted a unique date night experience and for less than the cost of a movie ticket, we got it. It seems most all of these shows sell out way ahead, so plan accordingly. The show started around 7:30pm and doors opened at 7pm. The place was super crowded, but we were lucky enough to find some seats towards the back. I did hear that seating towards the back of the wall are the best. You'll be able to experience 30 minutes of night sky, where the professor points out the same sky that you would see if not for light pollution. Following, was a 30 minute film. What it covered I'm not entirely sure I remember. But it was pretty interesting. I highly recommend the planetarium for an interesting date night and supporting our local community college!

Saw "Beautifica" and it was underwhelming, but only because it was at THIS planetarium. I honestly…read morewouldn't even consider this a planetarium, as it's just a tiny classroom with a dome shaped screen above your head. The seats sit straight up with zero recline so you have to keep your head bent back in the worst position the entire time. And the tickets advertise for priority seating, which are more expensive, and I had purchased. However, they don't even check the status of the tickets when you enter the room. They just let anyone pick whatever seat they want and do not care about priority. So don't waste your money on priority seating. Maybe I would've paid $15 max for this show, not the $40 per ticket that they charge. Would have rather gone to LA to experience this show at a real planetarium.

Absolutely stunning show! The performers were incredible talented. I was speechless at the talents…read moreperformed. The spooky ambiance, the Halloween vibes, the unique smell and music was just all incredible and everyone should experience it at least once in a lifetime. The price of tickets are so worth what we got in return. Inside the tent it was actually not hot even tho the temperature was 98 degrees the evening we went. They had huge fans everywhere. The actual show started at 730pm and it ended at 930pm. The gate opened an hour early so people can go look at their decor, buy their snacks, some scary characters come out and scared u while your in the lobby part of the tent before going in to the sitting area. The only negative thing I have to say is their website says they sell alcohol, they didn't. Their slushy machine was not freezing the slushies. Website also states they don't check bags, but they do, so don't take any food or drinks, cause u will have to throw them away, even water! The parking set up was a bit weird since it was across the street. Overall an awesome experience and I will be returning when it comes back to Bakersfield, even if it's the same performances, I watch it again!

My brother really enjoys the Melodrama and talked us into going to see their Christmas show. This…read moreis a really fun experience. It's a great way to get away from the hustle and stress of Christmas and just enjoy some live entertainment. The atmosphere is awesome. Everyone has a smile. The actors are fun and engaging. No one takes themselves too seriously, which is weird because melodrama is in the name. ;) They have a snack bar. We got free popcorn because my brother has season tickets. And, I must say, it's pretty darn good popcorn. This is a wonderful family experience, and if you can get tickets. I really recommend you try them out.

I've been going to the Melodrama in Bakersfield for over 40 years, and somehow they still manage to…read moresurprise me with every single show! With the gaslight melodrama within 2 miles of my house, I can't seem to stay away. The energy, the talent, and the sheer fun this place delivers never fades. The actors are incredible and always giving 110% and the staff is just as amazing, making every visit feel warm and welcoming. The skits are absolutely hilarious, the kind of humor that has you laughing long after the show ends. And the food? Always delicious and the perfect addition to a night of entertainment. After four decades of attending local shows, I can honestly say the Gaslight Melodrama continues to be one of my favorite places in Bakersfield. If you've never been, you're missing out on a true local treasure!

My wife and I came to see a showing of Our Lady of the Tortilla, and we had a great experience. The…read moretheater was fairly small, but the performance felt very personal and was very enjoyable. The actors/actresses did a great job, the location was nice (being fairly close to our house) and the concession stands had a good amount of food and drinks to choose from (including mixed drinks, beer, and wine!!). We will definitely be back, and will definitely recommend!!

My husband and I came her to watch our friend perform in NUTS, a story about Claudia Draper. I had…read morenever been to this location of Stars. It's a small, quaint building for a performing arts theater. Upon arrival, we were greeted in a friendly manner and I was excited to see I could purchase tickets at the door, since it wasn't the main Stars Restaurant and Theater. The only reason I'm giving 4 stars is because the outdoor lighting wasnt very good and had I not been 100% sure that the showing was at this location I would have drove away and gone all the way downtown to their main location. Additionally, I am three weeks post op and there really wasnt parking and I arrived at 7 and had to walk quite a distance to get where I needed to go.

This place has officially become my favorite summer hangout!…read more The AC is so good that I literally have to bring a blanket... in the middle of summer! Like wow right ! Everyone that works there is super kind and helpful! As for the theater itself, it has super comfy chairs, the snack selection is great, and the popcorn is always fresh and delicious (which, let's be honest, is half the movie experience). They also have a full bar! Personally, I think the drinks are a little too pricey, but if you're in the mood to treat yourself, go for it! Nothing says "date night" quite like a fun movie and a cocktail. One of my favorite perks is the discounted morning showings. They offer 20% off, which is perfect if you're like me and love finding ways to have fun without spending a fortune. During the summer, I'm all about making the most of my budget, and AMC definitely delivers if you play it smart!

While visiting family in Bakersfield, I decided to treat my mom and younger brother to a movie. We…read morehad all been wanting to see Obsession, and when they told me they hadn't seen it yet, I thought it would be the perfect activity since we're all fans of scary movies. We found parking quickly, check-in was fast and easy, and the theater itself appeared clean and well-maintained. The auditorium was a bit on the smaller side, but it still felt comfortable and wasn't overly crowded, which I actually appreciated. Before the movie started, we made our mandatory concession stand stop. I was especially excited when I spotted kettle popcorn, but unfortunately they told me they were already sold out even though our movie was fairly early in the day. That was definitely a letdown, but luckily I still enjoy classic buttery movie theater popcorn, so I was able to pivot without too much heartbreak. I also liked that the drink station had touchscreen machines with plenty of soda and juice options to choose from. My mom decided to get an ICEE, but she was a little disappointed when she went back for a refill during the movie and found the machine was out of service. Between the missing kettle popcorn and the ICEE issue, the concession experience wasn't quite as smooth as we had hoped. One of my favorite parts of the visit was definitely the reclining seats. Being able to kick back, put my feet up, and get comfortable made the movie even more enjoyable. I also appreciated that the auditorium wasn't freezing cold like some theaters tend to be. As for Obsession, I personally didn't find it all that scary, but it was entertaining and suspenseful enough to keep me engaged throughout the film. More importantly, it was a fun way to spend quality time with my family. Overall, we had a really nice movie day together. While there were a couple of minor hiccups with the concession area, the clean theater, comfortable seating, easy parking, and convenient location made for an enjoyable experience. Since this is the closest theater to my family's home I would definitely come back to catch another movie the next time I'm in town.

I have gone here twice for the bingo. This time I won two plants and purchased one while there. It…read morereally is a great place (small business, no private equity meddling). My plants are doing well after a long four days under my care and hopefully won't be k*lled by me for at least another four. Everyone there is so friendly. If you are a seasoned plant person or a novice plant person like me, you can't go wrong. Now when I cook, the plants can keep me company and smell the heavily burned food. They might even help clean the stank out of the air (or die trying). I hope my sweatshop-made grow light (purchased online) is good enough to keep these bad boys happy!

If you know me, you know I'm all about philos, syngos, and begonias So when I caught Leaf Lounge's…read moreLIVE and saw that angel wing begonia, it was love at first sight. I half-joked I'd buy it if Will wore it like a hat -- and he actually did That sealed the deal! This shop is my go-to for everything: lazy man soil, plant bids, or just lounging with the leaves (see what I did there). The team is always super friendly, helpful, and just genuinely awesome. I even dragged my best friend to their Bingo night -- and he's not even a plant person (don't judge him, he's working on it). We had an absolute blast. Leaf Lounge isn't just a plant shop, it's a whole experience. Highly recommend!