In this day in age, we can´t get enough of the things from the past and old is basically the new ¨new.¨ We want the vintage looks, we want the 80’s now, but where the heck are we supposed to find it in 2018? Well, why not in the very state of Pennsylvania at a drive-in movie theater? According to qz.com, in 2014 there were only 348 theaters left in the US and the numbers only continue to decline since then. Believe it or not, the state of Pennsylvania is home to a decent amount of theaters that are still open to this day. You can find 28 of these little-hidden treasures all over the state playing all kinds of different movies outside during the warmer months. There’s nothing like driving the car to the movies, setting up chairs and blankets in the grass or the beds of trucks, tailgating and playing catch with your family and friends while the sun’s still out, and then finally sitting down in the warm weather with a tub of popcorn from the concession stand and watching the movie you’ve been waiting to see all day.
Drive-in movie theaters are surely an entertaining way to spend your summer nights and they’re a fun experience for people of all ages. With all that being said, here’s a list of the 28 drive-in movie theaters around the state of Pennsylvania that are still open today, along with some sporadic fun facts about the history of drive-in movies.
1. Starlight Drive-In
- Butler- 1985 N Main St Ext, PA 16001
- Opened in 1958
- Number of screens: 3
2. Becky’s Drive-In
- 4548 Lehigh Dr, Berlinsville, PA 18088
- Opened in 1946
- Number of screens: 2
3. Moonlight Drive-In
- Route 322-Brookville, PA 15825
- Opened in 1952
- Number of screens: 1
- Fun Fact: Currently, most drive-ins use FM Radio to broadcast the sound for the movies. And before that, most people remember the old car stand speakers you could place on your window. But before those became the standard in the 1940’s, different drive-ins experimented with ways to broadcast the sound including placing large speakers behind the screen. The problem with this approach was as anticipated. It was really loud in the front rows and not loud enough in the back rows.
4. Skyview Twin Drive-In
- 595 South Eighty-Eight Road, Carmichaels, PA 15320
- Opened in 1946
- Number of screens: 2
5. Carrolltown Hi-way Drive-In
- Theatre Rd, Carrolltown, PA 15722
- Opened in 1951
- Number of screens: 1
6. Super 322 Drive-In
- 1682 Woodland Bigler Hwy, Clearfield, PA 16881
- Opened in 1950
- Number of screens: 1
Fun Fact: The largest operating drive-in in the United States, measured by car capacity, of which we are aware, is the Ford Wyoming Drive-in in Dearborn, MI. It can hold around 3000 cars. And surprisingly, the Ford Wyoming is open year round.
7. The Comet Drive-In
- Route 119 North Connellsville, PA 15425
- Opened in 1950
- Number of screens: 1
8. Circle Drive-In
- 1911 Scranton Carbondale Hwy, Dickson City, PA 18508
- Opened in 1945
- Number of screens: 2
Fun Fact: The first drive-in theatre was opened in Camden, New Jersey in June of 1933. Surprisingly, it never turned a profit and it was sold three years later and the new owner took down the equipment and moved it to a new location.
9. Haar’s Drive-In
- 185 Logan Road, Dillsburg, PA 17019
- Opened in 1953
- Number of screens: 1
10. Sky-Vu Drive-In
- 813 E Market St, Gratz, PA 17048
- Opened in 1948
- Number of screens: 1
Fun Fact: The most popular name for currently operating drive-in theaters is 'Starlite Drive-in'. There are currently 10 drive-ins in the United States named the Starlite Drive-in (including those that spell it Starlight). So if you are looking to visit the Starlite Drive-in and you are looking at their website, make sure you are looking at the correct location. The runner-up name is 'Skyview' including its several spellings of "Sky View", "Sky Vu", "Skyview", "Sky-Vu" and "Sky-View".
11. Brownsville Drive-In
- 6229 National Pike, Grindstone, PA 15442
- Opened in 1949
- Number of screens: 3
12. Laurel Drive-In
- 1024 S Church St, Hazleton, PA 18201
- Opened in 1950
- Number of screens: 1
Fun Fact: The newest drive-in to open is the Coyote Drive-in located in Lewisville, TX. It, along with 2 other drive-ins, was opened last year in 2016.
13. Garden Drive-In
- Route 11 -Hunlock Creek, PA 18621
- Opened in 1952
- Number of screens: 2
14. Palace Garden Drive-In
- 225 Indiana Springs Road, Indiana, PA 15701
- Opened in 1950
- Number of screens: 1
15. Silver Drive-In
- 1664 Scalp Avenue, Johnstown, PA 15904
- Opened in 1957
- Number of screens: 1
Fun Fact: The largest operating drive-in theater in the United States, measured by the number of screens, is the Swap Shop Drive-in located in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. It has 14 screens and is open year round.
16. Family Drive-In
- 6627 US-6, Kane, PA 16735
- Opened in 1952
- Number of screens: 1
17. Mahoning Drive-In
- 635 Seneca Rd, Lehighton, PA 18235
- Opened in 1948
- Number of screens: 1
18. Midway Drive-In
- 1380 William Penn Hwy, Mifflintown, PA 17059
- Opened in 1952
- Number of screens: 2
Fun Fact: In the past, almost all drive-ins allowed dogs, open fires and grilling. However, many liability insurance companies have required drive-ins to stop all of these practices in order to obtain liability insurance.
19. Pike Drive-In
- 5798 US Highway 15, Montgomery, PA 17752
- Opened in 1953
- Number of screens: 3
20. Dependable Drive-In
- 549 Moon Clinton Road, Moon, PA 15108
- Opened in 1950
- Number of screens: 4
21. Evergreen Drive-In
- 309 Drive-in Ln, Mount Pleasant, PA 15666
- Opened in 1947
- Number of screens: 3
22. Cumberland Drive-In Theater
- 715 Centerville Road, Newville, PA 17241
- Opened in 1952
- Number of screens: 1
23. Riverside Drive-In
- Route 66, North Vandergrift, PA 15690
- Opened in 1951
- Number of screens: 1
24. Point Drive-In Theater
- 601 Point Township Dr, Northumberland, PA 17857
- Opened in 1952
- Number of screens: 3
- Fun fact: The cost of the new digital projectors that drive-in operators must purchase to show today’s first run movies average about $60,000 per screen. This has created an undue hardship on smaller theater owners.
25. Shankweiler’s Drive-In
- 4540 Shankweiler Rd, Orefield, PA 18069
- Opened in 1934
- Number of screens:1
- *America’s oldest operating Drive-In Theater*
Fun Fact: The second drive-in to open was Shankweiler's Drive-in opened in Orefield, PA in 1934. Amazingly, it is still open today and is the oldest operating drive-in theater in the world.
26. Bar Ann Drive-In
- 1815 Springhill Rd, Portage, PA 15946
- Opened in 1954
- Number of screens: 1
27. Sunset Drive-In
- 808 Route 97, Waterford, PA 16441
- Opened in 1948
- Number of screens: 1
28. Moonlite Drive-In
- 1190 Shoemaker Ave, West Wyoming, PA 18644
- Opened in 1955
- Number of screens: 1
Fun Fact: While the United States has by far the largest number of drive-ins still in operation (about 325), other have drive-ins a well. Canada has the second largest population of operating drive-ins with about 50. Australia is third with about 15.
A more extensive version of this list can be found on:
http://www.driveinmovie.com/PA.htm
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