From January 2020-February 2023, dozens of patrons, artists, and theatre lovers submitted stories of the Capitol to commemorate the incredible legacy of the historic gem.

“I worked behind the “candy bar” as a teenager; circa 1967 to 1970. My uncle Ed Lamoureux was the manager. As I recall there were at that time, 1634 seats. We popped the popcorn backstage. Once we heard the intermission music, we would come running up the side aisle to make sure we made it to assist with sales at the candy bar.”
-Maureen Gaunt

From horror films to dance recitals to card games in the back room, there was no shortage of amazing memories shared by the Windsor community.

“With my dad, I remember going into the Capitol early in the morning on Saturdays and Sundays to shovel coal into the boilers.
The heating system was not automatic so old-fashioned manual shovelling was necessary to guarantee that the theatre was heated in time for the matinee shows. In really cold weather , a return visit later in the day so that the evening patrons were also warm.
As a footnote, the pool hall in the basement of the Capitol building probably could tell many more intimate stories including backroom poker games.”
-Robert Lamoureux

Postcard with a handwritten memory of the Capitol theatre.

We would like to extend a big thank you to everyone who took the time to share their story with us.

Do you have any fond memories of the Capitol Theatre? Share you story with us here!

A Historic Day for the Historic Gem

After three years of waiting, the Capitol Theatre was officially able to celebrate its incredible history at the February 18th Legacy Celebration.

Capitol Theatre lovers of all ages enjoyed a day of music, theatre tours, historical displays and more in honour of the theatre’s 100th anniversary!

The doors of the Capitol Theatre opened on December 30th, 1920, and over the last century the theatre has been a staple in Windsor’s arts and culture scene. Find out more about the history of the Capitol Theatre here!

“We are thrilled to recognize and celebrate the centennial of this historic and cultural gem in such an exciting way. Reflecting on its 100-year history, the Capitol Theatre was a place where many residents saw great films and made amazing memories”. Shelia Wisdom

Nearly 1000 community members participated in the celebrations which included activities such as

  • Two matinee WSO family concerts
  • Heritage walking tours led by staff of the Windsor Museum
  • A wonderful showcase featuring Fourth Wall Music, Windsor Dance eXperience, and ACT.
  • The unveiling of the Digital Wall Legacy Installation
  • WIFF screenings of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

Thank you, Windsor arts community, for your continued support of the Capitol Theatre!

Large theatre stage. Musicians are performing.

We would like to extend our thanks to all the organizations who made this event possible:
The Capitol Theatre, the City of Windsor, the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, the Windsor International Film Festival, Museum Windsor, 4th Wall Music, ACT Arts Collective Theatre, Windsor Dance eXperience, the Windsor Symphony Youth Orchestra, Arts Council Windsor & Region, the Windsor Star, AM800 CKLW, CBC Windsor, CTV Windsor, Windsorite.ca and the Windsor Endowment for the Arts.

Learn more about this event by checking out the following publications.

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