Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair

Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair is a historic indoor concert and entertainment venue at 960 Brush Hollow Road in Westbury, New York. Best known for its distinctive theatre-in-the-round design and rotating stage, the venue has been presenting live entertainment on Long Island since 1956 and remains one of Nassau County’s best-known performance spaces.

Although its sponsored name has changed several times, generations of Long Islanders still know the venue simply as the Westbury Music Fair. Today, it hosts concerts, comedy performances, theatrical productions, tribute shows, family entertainment and other live events throughout the year.

A Long Island Entertainment Landmark

The Westbury Music Fair opened in 1956, decades before many of Long Island’s other major modern entertainment venues. The original operation was created by Frank Ford, Lee Guber and Shelly Gross, who developed the property as a suburban venue for Broadway-style theatrical productions.

The first Westbury Music Fair was not the permanent building visitors see today. Performances were originally held beneath a large multicolored tent with approximately 1,700 chairs. The first production was The King and I, starring Charles Korvin and Constance Carpenter.

That tent operated for a decade before being replaced in 1966 by a permanent, fully enclosed theater. The new building allowed performances to be held throughout the year while preserving one of the Music Fair’s defining characteristics: a stage surrounded by the audience.

The first entertainer to appear in the new theater in 1966 was Jack Benny, accompanied by special guest Wayne Newton. The opening also became part of the venue’s history when employees seeking union representation staged a labor action before the performance. Benny supported the workers and reportedly refused to perform until an agreement was reached.

The Theatre-in-the-Round Experience

One of the most unusual features of Westbury Music Fair is its circular seating arrangement. Rather than placing the audience entirely in front of a traditional stage, the theater surrounds the performance area with seating.

The stage can rotate during many productions, continually changing the performer’s orientation and giving different sections of the audience a direct view throughout a show. Live Nation describes Westbury as one of the remaining venues using this type of theatre-in-the-round arrangement.

The full theater holds approximately 2,800 people, although Live Nation says it can be configured for audiences of around 1,900 for smaller events. That relatively compact size creates a considerably more intimate setting than large arenas and outdoor amphitheaters.

Famous Performers at Westbury Music Fair

Westbury Music Fair has hosted an extraordinary range of performers during its decades of operation.

The venue’s official history records appearances by Judy Garland, Stevie Wonder, The Who, Bruce Springsteen and Ray Charles, along with longtime performers including Tony Bennett, Tom Jones, Don Rickles and Diana Ross.

Live Nation also lists performers such as Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, George Carlin, Dave Chappelle, Garth Brooks and Britney Spears among the entertainers who have appeared at the venue.

That variety reflects the Music Fair’s evolution from a venue centered largely around theatrical productions into a year-round entertainment destination hosting music, comedy and touring stage shows.

Why Has Westbury Music Fair Had So Many Names?

The building itself has remained in the same location, but corporate naming-rights agreements have resulted in several different names over the years.

For its first several decades, the venue was simply known as Westbury Music Fair. In 2005, North Fork Bank obtained naming rights and the property became the North Fork Theatre at Westbury. After Capital One acquired North Fork Bank, it was renamed the Capital One Bank Theatre at Westbury in 2008.

The venue briefly operated as the Theatre at Westbury before New York Community Bank obtained naming rights in 2010. It subsequently became known as the NYCB Theatre at Westbury and later NYCB at Westbury Theatre.

In March 2024, another naming change brought back the property’s historic identity when it became Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair. The current name combines the Flagstar sponsorship with the familiar Westbury Music Fair name that dates to the venue’s opening in 1956.

Concerts, Comedy and Live Shows

The Westbury stage continues to host a broad mix of entertainment. Its calendar typically includes touring musicians, comedians, tribute acts, cultural performances, theatrical presentations and family-oriented shows.

Because it is an enclosed indoor venue, Westbury Music Fair can operate throughout the year rather than being limited to the warmer months like Long Island’s outdoor amphitheaters.

Visitors should check the current event calendar before traveling because performance dates, starting times, seating configurations and ticket availability differ by event. Live Nation maintains the official schedule for the venue.

Seating and Capacity

The theater can accommodate approximately 2,800 guests at full capacity, although certain events may use a reduced configuration of around 1,900 seats.

Its circular arrangement is an important part of the Westbury experience. Seating surrounds the central performance area, helping place even the farther sections relatively close to the stage compared with a conventional arena.

The exact stage setup can vary depending on the production, so visitors choosing tickets should consult the seating chart supplied for the individual event.

Lounge 960 and Venue Spaces

In addition to the main theater, the complex includes several areas used for hospitality and private functions. Live Nation identifies the VIP Club at Lounge 960, the main lobby, patio and deck among the spaces available within the property.

Lounge 960 generally opens before performances and is also used as part of premium ticket and hospitality packages. Availability and access requirements can vary by event.

Parking and Getting There

Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair is located at 960 Brush Hollow Road, Westbury, NY 11590, near several major highways serving central Nassau County.

Live Nation says the property has on-site parking for approximately 1,000 vehicles. Parking arrangements, valet options and premium parking can vary by event.

The venue’s main box office is located at the front of the building. Current venue information lists regular box-office hours from Wednesday through Saturday, with extended operation on performance days, although visitors should verify hours before making a special trip.

---

Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair

---

Key Facts & Details

Key Fact	Details
Current Name	Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair
Historic/Common Name	Westbury Music Fair
Address	960 Brush Hollow Road, Westbury, NY 11590
County	Nassau County
Venue Type	Indoor theatre-in-the-round
Opened	1956
Permanent Theater Opened	1966
Capacity	Approximately 2,800
Smaller Configuration	Approximately 1,900
Stage	Central theatre-in-the-round stage capable of rotating
Parking	Approximately 1,000 vehicles
Operator	Live Nation
Former Names	Westbury Music Fair; North Fork Theatre at Westbury; Capital One Bank Theatre at Westbury; Theatre at Westbury; NYCB Theatre at Westbury; NYCB at Westbury Theatre
Primary Uses	Concerts, comedy, theater, touring productions and special events
Official Website	Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair

Few Long Island entertainment venues have the history or distinctive character of Westbury Music Fair. From its beginnings beneath a striped tent in 1956 to today’s enclosed theatre-in-the-round, the venue has entertained generations of Long Islanders while hosting some of the biggest names in music, comedy and theater. Corporate names may continue to change, but the Westbury Music Fair identity remains an important part of the venue’s history and one of the most recognizable names in Nassau County entertainment.