The Salmar Association recently celebrated another successful year.
Association president Patti Munro says the Salmar could not exist without the suport of the larger comunity.
The first non-profit theatre association to be formed in Canada, the Salmar provides top-run movies with affordable ticket prices.
Usually an upbeat event, this year’s AGM began on a sad note as the membership remembered long-time projectionist Eric Nelson, who was a great mentor to all the Salmar staff.
An all-ages community dance in memory of the late Eric Nelson takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Salmon Arm Curling Club, featuring chili and licensed bar. Proceeds from $5 ticket sales will go to the Eric Nelson Scholarship Fund. Tickets are available at the Salmar Theatre.
Attendance was down nine percent at the Salmar Grand and 10 per cent at the Salmar Classic. But on the upbeat, community use of the Classic continued to grow.
“This year we had our usual annual events with the Banff Film Festival expanding for a full weekend, anther sold-out Skookum movie night and Snowed in Comedy Tour,” said Salmar general manager Daila Duford, noting the return of the Okanagan College Film Series, a French Film Festival for French immersion students and several successful fundraisers for local families in need.
“The MET Opera has entered its 12th season at the Salmar and, thanks to the help of some amazing volunteers and local media, we have seen an increase in attendance.”
Three movies scored the same locally and provincially – Rogue One was No. 1, Beauty and the Beast was second and Spider Man – Homecoming was fifth in both markets.
Also included in the Salmar’s top-10 were Guardians of the Galaxy third, Sing fourth, Despicable Me 3 was sixth, Wonder Woman seventh, Dunkirk eigtth, Lego Batman ninth and Doctor Strange was 10th.
Duford said Salmar’s Lego Ninjago project was a great hit and she is looking forward to submitting it to the national Showmanship Awards at Show Canada, which will be held in P.E.I. in 2018.
“We are currently at the starting line for an amazing lineup of Christmas movies,” she says. “I expect it to be one of our biggest Decembers of the past few years.”
Coming up are: Star Wars; The Last Jedi, Ferdinand, Jumanji, Pitch Perfect 3, Downsizing, The Greatest Showman, Black Panther, Avenger: Infinity War, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Deadpool 2, The Incredibles 2, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdomw, Ant-Man and the Wasp and Mama Mia 2.
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