For many of us, our relationship with movies began long before streaming menus and pause buttons. It started with butter-scented air, hushed whispers, and the quiet anticipation that filled a room as the lights dimmed and the screen flickered to life.

Those shared moments — oversized screens, collective laughter, and reactions felt across a room — created memories and a sense of connection that watching alone at home can’t quite replicate.

This January, the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium is tapping back into that spirit.

After a successful initial run in the fall, movie nights are returning to the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, offering audiences a chance to enjoy cult classics together on the city’s biggest screen — affordably, accessibly, and in a setting designed for shared experiences.

For Acting General Manager Andrew Edwards, the idea grew out of a simple but important question: how could the Auditorium better serve the community on nights when it wasn’t hosting major concerts or touring productions?

“We wanted to find a way to get more utilization out of our building on days that weren’t booked for major events, while being affordable, community- and family-focused,” Edwards explains. “We’ve selected classic movies that people get excited about — and we’ve even had people dress up for the event, like when we hosted Hocus Pocus.”

That sense of ease and fun has become central to the program. Movie nights aren’t positioned as formal evenings out or replacements for traditional movie theatres, but as familiar experiences in an unexpected setting — inviting people to enjoy the Auditorium in a relaxed way.

The venue itself adds to that experience. With one of the largest screens in Thunder Bay and a professional-grade sound system, the Auditorium offers a cinematic environment that feels immersive and communal.

“Our theatre’s sound system is amazing, and we have the biggest screen in Thunder Bay,” Edwards says. “We’ve hosted film festivals before, and they’re always very well received because of the unique nature of our theatre.”

The response to the fall screenings confirmed there was an appetite for exactly this kind of programming. Edwards estimates that between 300 and 400 people attended the Hocus Pocus and Home Alone movie nights, with demand exceeding early expectations.

“We were pleasantly surprised at how many people attended our first event in October,” he says. “We actually ran out of popcorn, which forced some delays in starting on time.”

That moment has since become part of the series’ origin story — and a learning experience. Logistics have been refined, planning has evolved, and the focus remains on creating a smooth, enjoyable atmosphere while preserving the relaxed charm that audiences responded to.

Beyond turnout, movie nights are also introducing new audiences to the Auditorium.

“That is a primary goal for these events,” Edwards says. “We found a lot of people who attended aren’t necessarily our core audience for live events, for a variety of reasons. There’s been a family focus for the films to date to keep things affordable for a night out for everyone too.”

For some attendees, movie night marks a first visit to the Auditorium. For others, it’s a return under different circumstances — reshaping how they think about the space and what it can be.

Film selection has also helped build momentum. A recent Facebook fan vote helped shape January’s lineup, with staff quietly rooting for Casino while audiences rallied behind Labyrinth. The cult favourite ultimately won out, coinciding with its 40th anniversary and the TBCA’s own milestone year.

As for Edwards himself, there’s already a personal wish list for future screenings.

“My personal favourite movie to see one day on our big screen would be Mad Max: Fury Road,” he says.

As winter stretches on, movie nights at the TBCA offer something simple but meaningful: a reason to gather, laugh together, and share familiar stories in a celebrated community space. In a venue often associated with marquee performances, these evenings serve as a reminder that connection doesn’t always require spectacle — sometimes it just needs a screen, a crowd, and a story everyone knows by heart.

Upcoming movie nights and event details can be found through the TBCA’s events calendar at tbca.com/events.