Winter Haven

Winter Haven

The Ritz Theatre in Winter Haven has been awarded state grant monies for renovations. When finished, the theater will look much like it did in the 40′s. For the second consecutive year, the Ritz has been included in the state budget and received more than $200,000 to renovate the building. Ronni Wood, Mainstreet Director and Ritz Board member says the project is vitally important to the future development and growth in the downtown area. Winter Haven is fortunate to have an historic and cultural base of support and a beautifully preserved town square with businesses and potential residential sites surrounding it. The Ritz Theatre began hosting vaudeville acts and silent movies in the 1920s, and several years ago it served as a teen night club. About four years ago, the restoration group bought the aging structure and made plans to restore the building to its past glory.