The Sylvan Lake Theatre is prepared for this year’s Theatre Trail.
For the past five years, Theatre Trail has been named the Best Summer Event in the Sylvan Lake News Reader’s Choice Awards.
In this year’s Reader’s Choice Awards, the Theatre Trail was also recognized as the Best Festival, and Sylvan Lake Theatre was named the Best Arts Organization.
“The awards are a pretty good reflection of just how much the Theatre Trail has become part of the Sylvan Lake summer experience,” Artistic Director Tanya Ryga said.
Since the Theatre Trail began, it has brought people from all over Alberta, Canada and the U.S. to see local stories and actors perform in various locations around town.
The Theatre Trail runs over four afternoons, with groups of 16 guided by a storyteller on a two-hour theatrical journey, Ryga said.
“They go from site to site, stopping along the way for a lively mix of comedies, dramas and stories. It’s an afternoon of theatre, discovery and definitely a few pleasant surprises along the way.”
For many residents, the Theatre Trail has become an event they look forward to each year, she added.
“Families and friends plan their visits around the performances, making the Trail an opportunity to spend time together — and to introduce visiting friends and relatives to another side of Sylvan Lake.”
The Theatre Trail wouldn’t be possible without the support of local businesses and organizations.
“This year’s sponsors include the Rotary Club of Sylvan Lake, the Sylvan Lake District Lions Club, TELUS, The Paint Stop, Strategis Accountants, Sylvan Lake Registries and the Sylvan Lake Golf and Country Club,” Ryga said.
“Many other local businesses and organizations have donated to Theatre Trail’s online auction as well.”
Business support helps bring the performances, she added.
“It reflects the enthusiasm for an event that has become a shared part of the community’s summer.”
This year, audiences will be able to take in performances at the Moon & Lotus, Tea Hippie, 2nd Wind Brewery & Eatery, the Cenotaph Park, and the Memorial Presbyterian Church, which serves as the Trail’s home base and box office this year.
“It’s an eclectic collection of venues — and that’s part of the fun. The Trail turns familiar
downtown spaces into temporary stages, giving audiences the chance to see local places in
a whole new way while enjoying an afternoon of live theatre,” Ryga said.
Every year the event sells out, so people are encouraged to get their tickets early.
The Theatre Trail will run four times daily on Sept. 12, Sept. 13, Sept. 19, and Sept. 20 at 1 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2 p.m., and 2:30 p.m.
More information and tickets can be found on the Sylvan Lake Theatre website: www.sylvanlaketheatre.com/theatre-trail-2026.
