Pickford Film Center has received approval from the state Liquor Control Board to allow consumption of beer and wine in one of its two theaters at 1318 Bay St. in downtown Bellingham. The center will start providing this service on Feb. 17.

Up until now, Pickford staff have served beer and wine to moviegoers, but they could only allow consumption in the building’s lobby. The center will be required to designate the theater that allows alcohol to be open only to patrons 21 years or older.

“So many of our patrons have expressed the desire to be able to take their glass of beer or wine into the theaters that we decided to plunge ahead and make one of our three screens downtown a 21-and-over theater,” Pickford executive director Alice Clark said, in a Feb. 1 press release. “There will be a bit more work on our end to ensure compliance, but we are confident that our community is ready to support this new kind of movie-going experience.”

More information on the center and a schedule of upcoming movies can be found at www.pickfordfilmcenter.org.