Historic Sites of Manitoba: Circus Drive-In Theatre / Delta Drive-In Theatre (Saskatchewan Avenue West, Portage la Prairie)

Known as the Circus Drive-In Theatre when it opened in Fall 1952 about one mile west of Portage la Prairie on Highway #1, the theatre’s parking lot had room for 480 cars. In that opening year, it hosted movies on seven days of the week, rain or shine, not just on weekends. To encourage attendance on Wednesday night, traditionally a slow one, the theatre had a “foto-nite” where random moviegoers whose names were drawn would “sell” their photograph to the theatre in return for such prizes as cash, jewelry, appliances, and gift certificates for local merchants. (The promotion bypassed strict gambling laws.) The Circus was renamed the Delta Drive-In sometime after 1962.

The Delta Drive-In closed in 1992 when its last owner, 84-year-old John Ferguson, who had been a movie projectionist since 1925, retired. The city expanded so the former drive-in site was within its boundaries. All that remained was the theatre’s projection screen. The former parking lot was occupied by buildings of a family farming operation.

The former projection screen was demolished around 2020.

Former projection screen of the Delta Drive-In (July 2017) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Former projection screen of the Delta Drive-In (July 2017) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Former projection screen of the Delta Drive-In (July 2017) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Site Location (lat/long): N49.97568, W98.35021 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Odeon Drive-In (4415 Portage Avenue, Headingley)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Abandoned Manitoba

Sources:

Advertisement, Portage la Prairie Leader, 4 September 1952, page 8.

Obituary [John Ferguson], Winnipeg Free Press, 9 November 1998, page 29.

“Fade to black,” Winnipeg Free Press, 16 June 2012, page 151.

Silver Screens on the Prairie by Russ Gourluck, Great Plains Publications, 2012.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 24 April 2022

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