Cornwall's Port Theater Celebrates Its 75th Anniversary

Living its first 25 years as the Roxy Theater before becoming what it is known as today, the Port Theater, is celebrating its 75th anniversary. The Roxy Theater of Cornwall opened on December 26th, 1941 and was one of nine theaters to open from Hamilton to the Quebec border. The government of Ontario wanted to give the public a new way to gain entertainment and informational value, and this was how they went about doing that.

In 1966, the Roxy Theater was taken over by a private company, where it then became what it is known as today, the Port Theater. Today, the theater can hold 532 people, although it is only licensed to hold 450. It is one of the only theaters in Ontario to have a liquor license. The theater is open seven days a week, and hosts various events every month. The events include not only movies, but also comedy shows, tribute bands, and some recording acts as well. Recently the theater switched to digital formatting when they display their movies, and will have been doing that for a year on December 26th of this year (the same day the theater originally opened). All of the concessions at the theater are homemade, and the popcorn machine is an original from 1946. The Port Theater likes to make events available for all members in the town and in surrounding communities, so they sell their tickets at a very affordable price. In the future, the Port Theater hopes to continue their success.

"It's a learning experience," said Larry Sylvian, the owner of the Port Theater.

Our area is lucky to have a place like the Port Theater that holds so much history, and continues to provide good quality entertainment so we can continue to make memories with our friends and family for years to come.