The minute you step into the lobby of the Empress Theatre in Fort Macleod, you know you’re in a really special place. The building exudes charm and wears its history like a gilded crown. You can almost hear the whirring sound of the old movie projector that once sat at the back of the box office, and the uproarious laughter of the appreciative crowd watching a Vaudeville show on stage.

Built in 1912, the Empress Theatre is one of the most renowned landmarks in all of southwest Alberta. It is western Canada’s oldest continually operating theatre, and one of Fort Macleod’s most popular attractions. Much of the original décor and structure of the theatre still exists, including a number of tiny dressing rooms in the basement that bear the signatures of players who utilized them as far back as 1913.

Empress Theatre hosts a wide variety of live shows, festivals, and movie screenings all year long.