Celebrating Bing Crosby: A Spokane Original!
We're thrilled to present our 19th Annual Bing Crosby Festival—a celebration for all ages! Even better, guests 17 and under get in FREE with an accompanying adult. BCA is also generously covering the theater's $2 restoration fee on every ticket!
And this festival is about much more than movies! While Bing appeared in 104 films, his legacy reaches far beyond Hollywood. We're celebrating his extraordinary contributions to radio, television, live performance, sports, philanthropy, and popular culture—with live local talent and special features you won't find in an ordinary film festival!
From Spokane's Logan Neighborhood to the World!
Before he became the legendary Bing Crosby, Harry Lillis Crosby was a Spokane kid. He lived in the Logan Neighborhood from age three until leaving for Los Angeles in October 1925 at age 22. At Gonzaga High School and Gonzaga University, he sang everywhere—from church services and social gatherings to theaters, restaurants, and clubs.
Bing didn't just become a star—he changed entertainment forever! His groundbreaking style influenced generations of performers, including Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and The Beatles. Spokane was where the story began!
A Television First: The Ford Edsel Show
On October 13, 1957, Bing brought together an all-star lineup for CBS's The Ford Edsel Show, featuring Louis Armstrong, Rosemary Clooney, Frank Sinatra, and his son Lindsay.
But this was more than a spectacular night of entertainment. The show generated an estimated $250,000 in advertising revenue—approximately $2.3 million in 2025 dollars—with one-third of that funding the Bing Crosby Library at Gonzaga University!
Even more remarkable, it was the first entertainment program recorded on videotape specifically for later playback—a groundbreaking moment in television history.
The Edsel automobile may have been a commercial flop, but Bing's television career took off! The show helped launch his ABC variety specials, his own sitcom, The Bing Crosby Show, and the beloved Christmas specials that became holiday traditions. We believe this festival screening marks the first public showing of the original program since its 1957 debut!
Bringing the Musical Legacy Home
We're proud to welcome Spokane's own North Central High School Jazz Band, under the direction of Tim Blaydon!
There's a wonderful hometown connection: Bing's longtime friend and musical partner, Alton "Al" Rinker, got his musical start at North Central. Al formed a six-member teenage combo called The Musicaladers and recruited Bing as its drummer. Before heading to Hollywood in 1925, the two performed together on the stage of the Clemmer Theater—today's Bing Crosby Theater!
A Special Musical Tribute
And there's more! Don Maloney, Gonzaga Class of 1958 and devoted Bing Crosby fan, has created six special renditions of his favorite Bing Crosby Christmas songs. We'll feature two during each intermission—a heartfelt holiday tribute from one Bing fan to another!
From Spokane beginnings to worldwide stardom, this is Bing Crosby's story—and we're bringing it home!