Granada Theatre

Built in 1928 and opening on 18th January 1929 with the movie “Alias Jimmy Valentine” starring William Haines & Laurel and Hardy in “We Faw Down”. The Granada Theatre was an excellent example of an Atmospheric styled movie theatre.

It was built by the Newton Construction Company of Sherbrooke to the designs of noted theatre architect Daniel J. Crighton. The internal decorations were carried out by internal designer Emmanuel Biffra. A novel feature in the foyer was a stone water fountain that was shaped like the front of a ship that had crashed through the wall!

The Granada Theatre was operated by the United Amusement Corp. Ltd. of Quebec who were owned by Famous Players of Toronto. Famous Players sold the Granada Theatre in May 1976 but it continued to operate under an independent management, renamed Festival Theatre. In 1981 it was renamed Place d'Art Estrie, but was soon closed. Renovations were carried out in 1989 and it was purchased by the town of Sherbrooke in 1998.

It was placed on the Register of Historic Buildings in April 2004. It is now in use as a live theatre.

Recent comments (view all 4 comments)

Azzaelea on October 15, 2009 at 10:49 am

Inside Granada Lobby (August ‘06)—>
View link

Gerald A. DeLuca on June 21, 2010 at 12:37 pm

Front of Granada Theatre decorated. Item with photo in Boxoffice magazine, October 29, 1938:
View link

rivest266 on October 19, 2017 at 2:06 pm

Grand opening ad in the photo section.

rivest266 on January 4, 2020 at 4:29 pm

The Granada theatre was renamed Festival in May 1976 and Place d’Art Estrie in 1981 and closed shortly after.