Restoration work continues on historical theater in Enterprise

Published 6:00 am Wednesday, July 9, 2025

ENTERPRISE — Darrell Brann continues his efforts to restore the historical OK Theater in Enterprise.

Brann said he started off in 2018 with a $100,000 grant from the Oregon Parks Department specifically for the building’s facade. He’s also received contributions from the statewide nonprofit Restore Oregon and local donors.

This year, he received a $175,000 grant for more work on the building that he was required to match with $75,000. On both grant occasions he contributed labor from his construction company.

Although the theater opened during one pandemic — the 1918-19 Spanish Flu pandemic — and was hobbled during another — the recent coronavirus pandemic — neither stopped work on the theater.

Brann is eager to see the theater restored.

“When we took over the OK, the whole area was one of the most depressed around,” he said. “I’ve been here since 1999. The theater had been shut down for almost a year at that point. The bowling alley in Joseph was gone. … A lot of us missed that. You’re raising five kids in a small town and you want something for them to do.”

He is encouraging volunteers to add their work to the restoration, be it materials, labor or anything else.

As he prepares for another OK Fest, he acknowledges that although fundraising is part of the goal, it’s more about giving something to the community.

“We just want people to come and have a good time,” he said.

And he wants to bring in quality acts to accomplish that. But he isn’t just trying to bring in the big, already-established acts.

“We love to support local musicians when they’re coming up,” he said.

The OK Fest 2025 is a three-day celebration running July 31 through Aug. 2, featuring indoor and outdoor performances. You can find more information on the event here.