Panida Theater
Sandpoint, Bonner County
- Grants: 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, Glenn Janss Award, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2022, 2023 – Historic Theatre Revitalization Subgrant Recipient* (Water damage mitigation and interior plaster restoration)
Location: 300 N. First Avenue, Sandpoint, ID 83864
The Panida Theater was built in 1927 during the Golden Age of movie palaces. It was opened with vaudeville and movie showings in mind. On opening night, the architecture was thought of as distinctive with lush interior furnishings. It’s in a Spanish colonial revival style. It was designed by Edward A. Miller of Portland, Oregon. Panida Theater was listed in 1984 in the National Register of Historic Places as a part of the Sandpoint Historic District. The cry room within the building was touted as one of the first in the West to allow parents to bring their children to spaces where they didn’t need to worry about disturbing others.
By the early 1980s the theater was in serious disrepair and needed attention. The charm of the 575-seat resort town theater prevailed. The Panida Theater Company formed, purchased the building and began restoration work. The committee raised over half a million dollars to acquire and restore the building. Its successful restoration inspired similar projects in the region. Recent efforts are focused on restoring the interior paint to historic colors. Attendance at local events now exceeds 25,000 per year. The theater has received the Glenn Janss Award for excellence in preservation.
For more information please contact Panida Theater Committee, Inc at board@panida.org.
*IHT’s Historic Theatre Revitalization Subgrant is made possible by the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant Program funded by the Historic Preservation Fund as administered by the National Park Service (NPS), Department of Interior.
