Private Rentals
A premium Cedar Rapids event venue
CELEBRATIONS • RECEPTIONS
PARTIES • CORPORATE EVENTS
"People have not stopped talking about the venue. They were so impressed with the vibe of the place. They love love loved the music during cocktail hour. I am still flying high!"
-Carrie G.
Corporate Event Host
Give your guests an experience they'll never stop talking about.
SKIP THE BEIGE BALLROOM
Built in 1914 as a silent film cinema, The Ideal Theater features a stunning, high-impact historical aesthetic.
SKIP THE DULL ENTERTAINMENT
Also a live music venue, The Ideal offers professional A/V production and vetted entertainment sourcing.
LOCATION
Conveniently located in Newbo, Cedar Rapids' historic arts and culture district
CAPACITY
125 guests (indoor)
Up to 250 with courtyard access
OPEN VENDOR POLICY
No exclusivity—bring your own or choose from our trusted partners.
Full bar service and craft cocktails
No limits. No compromises. Just exactly what your guests want, done right.
Professional in-house service staff
Experienced, polished service to match your needs—no temp staff, no headcounting.
Concert-grade A/V production
Not sound on a stick. And as part of the venue, it comes at a fraction of the standard cost.
Choose your own caterer
No limited menus or exclusivity agreements. Just the food you actually want.
In-house event coordination services
Take the stress out of event planning and the guesswork of hiring a third party.
Included with your rental
Get the services most venues charge for.
Exclusive venue access for the time specified — the theater itself and the 10,000 sq ft exterior courtyard are all yours. We do not parcel out different spaces for different clients.
Intake questionnaire — we don't leave you guessing. Upon booking, you'll receive a tailored questionnaire to guide your event planning and set you up for success.
1-hr walk-through with venue manager. A minimum of 2 weeks prior to your event, a representative will meet you on site to discuss layout, event flow, decorations, and other details to ensure everything is aligned.
Table and chairs plus set-up — no folding furniture rental, no rounding up hands. Arrive to rich cherrywood tables and upholstered seating arranged just the way you want it.
House A/V system plus projector rental and set-up — no extra charge. Enjoy your own playlist on our surround sound system and use of our 12 ft projector screen.
Event staffing to suit your needs. We don't need exact headcounts and we don't charge per bartender — we simply staff your event the way it needs to be staffed to deliver premium service.
Unlimited non-alcoholic refreshments for your guests — all soda, juice and bottled water are on the house.
But that's not the best part.
The best part? TRANSPARENCY.
ALL of our pricing is published publicly. No surprise fees, no hidden charges, no tours needed to gather more info.
Below is our pricing for the venue rental. All in. No sales tax, no service fee, no cleaning charges.
Venue Rental Pricing
TIME | SUN | MON | TUES | WED | THURS | FRI | SAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FULL DAY 8AM-Midnight | $2400 | $1500 | $1500 | $2200 | $3000 | $4400 | $5400 |
Best value—more time, more flexibility, zero rush. | |||||||
EVENING 3PM-Midnight | $1500 | $1000 | $1000 | $1700 | $2400 | $3700 | $4600 |
Our most popular—everything you need. |
Planning a daytime gathering?
Planning a short social hour?
Hourly rentals are available Mon-Wed for $175/hr (4-hr minimum).
Hourly rentals carry our daytime inclusions and packages.
By the way...if you're looking to book The Ideal for a full day or evening rental in the next 4 months AND THE DATE IS STILL AVAILABLE, you qualify for a "short notice" discount!
Now...let's upgrade!
Rental packages scale your event from a polished gathering to a fully immersive experience.
DOWNLOAD THE BROCHURE to starting comparing today.
All pricing is included.
And don't worry — you can book now and build later. Packages provide the greatest savings, but you're always free to add package elements à la carte as your plans take shape.
Next Steps
Inquire about your preferred date, and we'll check if it's open. Got a question not answered on the FAQ page? Ask away!
Get a proposal from our team, make the down payment, and we begin!