Prospector Theater — Attraction in Ridgefield

I simply cannot say enough about this incredible place. The Prospector Theater is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to providing meaningful employment to adults with disabilities through the operation of this premium first-run movie theater in Ridgefield, CT. It provides meaningful employment to Prospects in a competitive and integrated work environment. My family and I are so lucky to live in the same town as the Prospector. Here are just a few things I love about it:

S - Snacks! The Prospector has the BEST popcorn I've ever tasted in my life. Not only do they serve delicious movie-theater popcorn, but they also make mouth-watering gourmet popcorn onsite! So many flavors to choose from too! Oh, did I mention candy??? So many yummy options!

P - Prospects! Every employee at the Prospector is a "Prospect" and each one is amazing in their own way. When I go see a movie, I am always greeted with warm smiles and friendly greetings. It makes me feel at home! The Prospects clearly love their job and work very hard. You will not find a better group of people in the world!

A - Artwork! Some Prospects are incredibly talented artists. You can find their artwork all over the theater. Drawings, paintings, graphic design, and more! They also have a powerful mosaic that portrays the old proverb "Teach a Man to Fish" and features Special Olympics medals donated by Prospects. What truly stand out to me however is the giant "Prospect-o-lier" that hangs from the ceiling in the lobby. Its a vibrant beacon of hope that shines like the Prospects do!

R - Rapping! Did you know that some Prospects are talented rappers?? They have a Bars & Beats group that creates rhythms, rhymes, and raps that are used in the pre-show before your movie. The concessions rap is my all-time favorite!

K - Kids! As a father of two little kids, I can tell you that your children will LOVE this theater! My boys look forward to each and every visit to the Prospector, even if we're not seeing a movie. They love the "seating steps" where they can hang out and watch what is on the giant screen in the lobby. They love the interactive games and various engagement activities that the theater offers. For any given movie you might see a colorful cut-out board, intricate balloon sculptures, or even real-life characters roaming the lobby floor! Also, you can book your child's birthday party here! There are so many options too choose from, like movie-only, movie with cake and pizza, etc. Book yours today!

L - Liquor! How awesome is it that you can enjoy an alcoholic beverage with your movie?? They serve beer, wine, and cocktails in their Heads Up Cafe. They have so many options to choose from! Alcohol not your style? Then you can get a delicious latte made to your liking. Coffee and tea drinks galore as well!

E - Education! The Prospector Theater offers an incredible program called Service Learning, which educates, entertains, and dazzles groups, schools, and businesses of all sizes. Participants build empathy and community service skills by actively engaging in custom-designed, Prospect-led programming. The theater can tailor their service learning opportunities to suit the needs of your classroom, business, or organization. Don't miss out on this wonderful opportunity!

SPARKLE - Prospects are paired with jobs that highlight their strengths and passions - or as the theater call sit, “sparkle." Prospects sparkle through speeches, artwork, video production, rapping, baking gourmet popcorn, making coffee, etc.

Check out this sparkly...

Went in to the Prospector Theater last night with my husband for date night and we were unfortunately sold 2 tickets (paid $24) for a "sold out" show of The Girl on the Train. When we asked the manager/supervisor on duty there why did they sell us tickets without informing us that it was, in fact, a "sold out" show and not letting us know beforehand there were not 2 seats together for us to sit and enjoy the movie, we were told that we were not allowed to get our money back from the purchase of the "sold out" show and that this was the policy of the theater. We have lived in Ridgefield for almost 11 years and this was our 1st and unfortunately/sadly enough our last visit to the Theater. Very disappointed- when we asked if we could use the tickets that we already purchased for the next 10:00pm showing of the movie this evening, we were told that management/owner does not allow that and we would need to buy tickets all over again in order to see the later show.

I rated this particular experience as "poor" as it was not a good one but I am hoping that the owner reaches out to me to makes this right. I support the Theater's mission wholeheartedly and tonight I was very excited to go to the theater for the 1st time, but honestly now I have a bad taste in my mouth from the whole experience this evening. Big disappointment...

My boyfriend and I visited the Prospector Theater to see the second Doctor Strange movie on Saturday night. This was our first visit to the theater, and we were truly blown away by so many things. First, we absolutely loved the theater’s mission to create jobs for mentally disabled adults. The staff was so clearly passionate about their jobs, and everyone was so friendly and welcoming from the moment we walked in the door. We loved that they had a cafe in addition to normal concessions, and I was not expecting them to serve alcohol! Don’t even get me started on their amazing Prospector Popcorn!! They have a great variety of flavors that are all so delicious. Truly some of the best gourmet popcorn I’ve had, which I plan on ordering online if I don’t make it back to the theater soon! Lastly, the theaters themselves were so clean and modern, and I was so comfortable throughout the movie. I will definitely make the drive again to Prospector Theater after such a...