The Varsity Center for the Arts
418 S. Illinois Avenue, Carbondale, IL 62901
Theater
What started as a single-screen movie house in 1940 has become a power house for live music and community theater. This gorgeous theater is one of the greatest components to Carbondale's thriving art & culture scene.
As it serves as home to the Jackson County Stage Company, which presents several plays during the year, and hosts the weekly Friday Night Film series. The Varsity serves as a venue for live entertainment during the Carbondale Rocks Revival, an annual city-wide music festival in addition to accommodating local and regional musicians during the year to bring the city exceptional entertainment. The Varsity Center stands in the center of downtown Carbondale, midway between the Carbondale City Hall and the campus of Southern Illinois University.
How to find us?
What's happening nearby...
Make Believe at Varsity Theater
Apr 23 – Apr 26
A historic venue for performing and visual arts, live music, entertainment and community events.
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Southern Illinois Music Festival
Jun 18 – Jul 04
The 2026 Southern Illinois Music Festival commemorates our great nation’s semi-quincentennial anniversary, as part of “America at 250,” with multiple performances of classical music by three…
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Fall Farm Crawl
Sep 12 – Sep 13 @ 1PM
Visit local farms. The tour is self-guided, which means that folks can visit whichever farms they choose between 1 and 6 p.m.
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Carbondale
Retail and service locations, restaurants, and other establishments in downtown Carbondale.
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