About Us

The lands upon which the Fergus Grand Theatre sits have been home to Indigenous peoples since time immemorial. We acknowledge that we are on the treaty lands and traditional territory of the Anishanaabe and Haudenosaunee.

With increasing encroachment by non-Indigenous settlers in the Township of Centre Wellington, the Anishanaabe and Haudenosaunee could not continue their traditional lifestyle, and settled in their villages along the Credit River, and in the Grand River valley. These Indigenous nations uphold their Treaty Rights within our jurisdiction.

Today, the Township of Centre Wellington remains home to Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island. We are grateful to have the opportunity to share and respect Mother Earth and are committed to building constructive and cooperative relationships with Indigenous nations.

The Grand Theatre was the dream of Sam Fardella, who turned the site of old barn for the Commercial Hotel into a motion picture theatre in downtown Fergus. Opening on August 28^th, 1928 with The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg, starring Ramon Navarro and Norma Shearer, the theatre hosted movies, plays, concerts and other events for the next several decades.

In the late 1960’s the Fardella family sold the theatre to Jake Milligan, owner of Fergus-Elora Cable TV, and widely regarded as a pioneer in the Canadian cable industry. The theatre was used as a studio for many local programs, and live performances became more frequent, with productions by the Elora Community Theatre and local regional touring companies.

In the early 1990’s Hugh and Lorraine Drew-Brook purchased the theatre from Milligan and began extensive renovations to optimize the venue for live performances. Theatre on the Grand, a professional summer-stock theatre company, used the building from 1993 to 2003, playing host to multiple world premieres of new plays, many of which have gone on to become Canadian theatre classics.

After the summer-stock company folded the local arts community rallied together to keep the theatre open, working with the Township of Centre Wellington’s staff and Council to ensure its transformation into a municipal performing arts centre that could be used by all.

Today the Fergus Grand Theatre is rented out to a wide variety of individuals and organizations, local and beyond, who use it for a wide variety of artistic, cultural, and corporate events, as well as hosting a presenting series that features the best and brightest of Canadian talent. A major economic driver in downtown Fergus, and an essential part of the arts ecosystem in Centre Wellington, the Fergus Grand Theatre is about to embark on its second century of operations, and it continues to be a place for the community to gather, share, laugh, and grow.

Getting Here

The Fergus Grand Theatre is located at 244 St. Andrew Street West, in the heart of beautiful downtown Fergus. Our box office hours are 10am to 3pm, Tuesday through Sunday, and 10am to curtain time on all show days. Our box office phone number is 519-787-1981.

The theatre itself has no dedicated parking lot, but free public parking is available in lots throughout downtown Fergus within walking distance. Note that there is a three-hour time limit when parking on St. Andrew Street itself between 9am and 7pm, but all municipal lots are 24 hours. Out of consideration for our neighbours we kindly ask that you not choose to park in the TD bank parking lot next to the theatre during hours when the bank is open. Here’s where you can park in downtown Fergus. 

Finding Your Seat

Most ticketed events at the theatre have reserved seating, meaning that you don’t have to arrive early to get a good seat. Generally, the House Manager will open the auditorium doors 30 minutes prior to curtain and begin checking in patrons. However, we don’t hold the show for latecomers, and unless there’s a technical issue the performance will start on time, so please plan accordingly.

In particular, if you are going out for dinner before the show be sure to mention to your server that you are coming to the theatre, so they can ensure that you have time to enjoy your meal and still get here before the show starts.    

Venue Guide

We’ve developed a comprehensive venue guide to help every patron enjoy their visit to the theatre. If you or one of your companions wants to learn more about parking, accessibility, theatre etiquette, where the washrooms are located, or simply just what to expect when coming to the theatre, the venue guide is where you’ll find all that information, and much, much more. Download the guide here.

Community Information

The Township of Centre Wellington has much more to offer. If you’re looking for a place to eat, a place to stay, or some things to do before or after the show, our friends at Elora-Fergus Tourism have you covered.