Garden Theater Winter Garden Florida

     The Garden Theater is located at 160 W. Plant Street, Winter Garden, Florida.  It was the first theater in Florida built for talkies. It first opened on December, 1935.It had a single screen and over 200 seats.  There was a sloping floor.

       The building’s style was Mediterranean Revival. The interior was modeled after a Spanish courtyard with Romeo and Juliet balcolnies, a Spanish tile roof and a dark ceiling with stars. Over the years the building underwent multiple renovations.  It closed in 1963.

     After the theater’s closure, it was remodeled to become a farm supply store.  The theater’s seats were removed and the sloping floor was leveled.

Garden Theater Winter Garden Florida

     The Theater was purchased by the city of Winter Garden.  The Winter Garden Heritage Foundation acquired the building in January, 2004 with an operating agreement with the city.  The Foundation under took a multiyear renovation of the building seeking to return it to its original simplicity.    The theater had its grand reopening in February, 2008.  It featured up to 400 events per season including living plays, concerts and movies.