Drive-In Theaters

[Miss Marty]

Maryland only has one drive-in ~ Its located in Baltimore County
* Its been a very long time since we been to a drive-in theater. *

June 6, 1933
A summer night spent at the drive-in brings nostalgic feelings for millions of Americans who grew up listening to the tinny sound coming from the speaker hooked to the car window at their local drive-in theater. On June 6, 1933, the world’s first drive-in theater opened in Camden, New Jersey. This revolutionary concept transformed automobiles into “private theatre boxes” allowing guests to “smoke, chat, or even partake of refreshments.”

 

[chunkygal]

I live in rural georgia
Our town has a drive in that only plays G movies double feature (think how hard that is!). Hanging on by thread until recently....
Funny how things work out

 

[moonstone]

Several in our area (rural, 2hrs north of Toronto) just opened back up last evening. The snack bars are not open so people are allowed to bring their own (but no alcohol) but the washrooms are open with signs saying absolute cleanliness not guaranteed so use at own risk. Vehicles will be parked in every other spot to ensure social distancing and people will not be permitted to sit in lawn chairs beside/behind their vehicles or in the backs of pick-up trucks. Now if something could just control the mosquitoes....


~Diane

 

[WinniWoman]

There is one within walking distance here. 2 or 3 screens with some older movies. I thought of going for something different to do, but it is $25 per car whether you are 2 or 4 people or whatever so pricey. Can't bring in food supposedly. Still- last weekend cars were lined up to get in.

 

[Luanne]

There is one within walking distance here. 2 or 3 screens with some older movies. I thought of going for something different to do, but it is $25 per car whether you are 2 or 4 people or whatever so pricey. Can't bring in food supposedly. Still- last weekend cars were lined up to get in.

Not being able to bring in your own food if the concession stand is closed seems odd. How would they know? Are they going to search each car as they come in?

 

[WinniWoman]

Not being able to bring in your own food if the concession stand is closed seems odd. How would they know? Are they going to search each car as they come in?

Oh the concession stand is not closed. Yeah- how would they know? Right. I even would bring snacks into indoor theaters in my bag.

 

[plpgma]

Growing up in rural Pennsylvania (just outside of Pittsburgh), the drive-in was the treat every couple of months. At the time, there were just us three boys and my mom & dad -- my parents would always dress us in our pajamas before we went because we'd always fall asleep on the way home. Anyway, you were allowed to bring your own food/snacks and beverages in -- but there was also a concession stand as well (we never bought from the concession stand -- but would always droll over it whenever we'd go to the bathroom).

Like most old drive-in's, though, they started showing dirty movies in the late 70's and then just closed down sometime in the 80's. I'm not sure when the site was razed, but the Penn Lincoln Drive-In now only exists in my childhood memory.

 

[Passepartout]

We had two here until maybe 3 years ago. Their story was that movie companies no longer make movies on film. They are ALL digital, so it would cost $60,000 per theater to upgrade the projection equipment to digital. And combined with the fact that here on the far western edge of Mountain Time zone it doesn't get dark on Summer nights until 10pm. The crowds were small, They had car-load prices and most people brought in their own snacks, there just wasn't enough profit to make upgrading worthwhile. Then due to the city growing out around where the drive-ins were, the dirt under them was worth more as storage facilities or car dealers.

Progress.

 

[dayooper]

We have one around us and it was used for High School Graduation this year.

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