CANYON CITY — When it comes to showing movies for an audience in Grant County, the Grantville Theater has been the only game in town since the loss of a drive-in and a movie house in John Day years ago.

Canyon City started showing movies at the city-owned community hall downtown more than 10 years ago. The pandemic put a halt to that community tradition, but it started up again this spring after a two-year hiatus.

Since April, the Grantville (named after the fictitious theater in the 1972 Disney movie “Napoleon and Samantha,” which was filmed in Grant County) has been open on the third Saturday of every month, with a noon matinee for families and more mature fare in the evening for older audiences.

But because of low turnout, officials last week said they have decided to open the theater less often.

“Prior to COVID, there were a lot of kids and a lot of people that showed up for those movies, but since then, COVID kind of killed it all,” said Canyon City Mayor Steve Fischer. “Some people are delving out and they want to go out, but it hasn’t equated yet to people really wanting to go to the Grantville Theater.”

The Grantville had a smash turnout during the ’62 Days Celebration in June when it showed “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” and “Top Gun: Maverick.”

Despite having a packed house for the ’62 Days screening, however, Canyon City Recorder Tami Kowing, who also serves as the theater coordinator, said attendance has generally been low.

“It is a huge benefit (for the community),” Kowing said before a Sept. 19 council meeting where the issue was discussed. “We really haven’t had a super turnout. During ’62 Days, we had an amazing turnout. The last few months, for the evening movie, we had six or less people. This past weekend, it was only four.”

The Canyon City Community Hall seats about 100 in a large meeting room set up like a movie theater on the second floor, with fold-up theater chairs. Organizers project a movie on a large screen at the front of the theater. Popcorn and concessions are sold in a booth just outside the theater doors.

Fischer said the theater has been a boon to the community — especially for families looking for something to do together.

“It’s just the interactions with other people enjoying the movie,” he said of the theater experience. “It just creates a better atmosphere. … Canyon City has something to offer that isn’t anywhere else in the community.”

In October, the John Day/Canyon City Parks and Recreation District will present Autumn Movie Mania — two movie nights at the Grantville Theater, from 6 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 20 and 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 21. The first evening will feature “The Grudge” and will be geared toward teens, young adults and older community members, with the family-friendly movie “Coraline” taking the screen on the second night.

People can order tickets for Autumn Movie Mania at https://jdccparksandrec.org/fall/. Organizers ask people who buy tickets to print out their order confirmation or show a smartphone screenshot of it and bring it to the event to serve as entry.

For more information about the Grantville Theater and showtimes, visit its Facebook page at https://tinyurl.com/4xysukvr.