'It's endured': Movie theatre outside of Calgary marking its 100th anniversary
A theatre near Calgary is celebrating an impressive milestone soon, marking 100 years since it first opened its doors in 1926.
Strathmore’s Joyland Theatre will celebrate the centennial on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, by screening Mantrap, which was the first film ever shown at the theatre.
Opened in 1926, the theatre is currently owned by Jeff Larson, who has a personal connection to the historic building. His grandfather purchased the theatre in 1950 from the original owner before his father took over the business in 1969.
“When I was a kid, when my dad had it, we lived in Calgary, and we came out here on weekends and watched the movie on Saturday night,” Larson said when speaking with Daily Hive.
His father owned the theatre until the late 1970s, and sold it to Bill and Sheila Crispen, who already operated a theatre in Hanna. Bill and Shelia ran the theatre for 35 years before selling it to Larson and his wife.
Joyland Movie Theatre/Facebook
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“I always dreamed one day back then when I was a kid that it would be neat to own a theatre, and eventually I did.”
While the theatre has changed hands several times over the past century, Larson said the building itself has remained relatively unchanged. Over the years, Joyland has gone through some major changes in the movie industry, from the rise of television and home video to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The only time that the theatre’s ever been closed was when the COVID lockdowns came in, and we were forced to shut,” Larson said. “It’s endured a lot over the years, and it’s still going.”
Today, Joyland Theatre serves as the only theatre in Strathmore and shows first-run movies at the same time as cinemas across the country, giving residents the chance to catch the latest releases without heading into Calgary.
“People seem to really appreciate having a local movie theatre that they can go to right here instead of driving into the city,” Larson said.
As for the 100th anniversary celebration, Larson says he’s looking forward to seeing people come out. The theatre even partnered with a local radio station to try to get 150 people out to the celebration.
Guests are encouraged to dress up in 1920s clothing to help bring the theatre back to its early days, while enjoying a screening of Mantrap at 7:30 p.m.