#Ford drive in theatre movie

They can be found in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Washington, while the others are in more temperate Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida and Texas. Kipp Sherer, who runs Nevada-based, said there are currently about 43 drive-ins open through winter time, though only three are in cold-weather states. But the Ford isn’t the only drive-in among the estimated 335 in operation nationwide that stays open year-round. “It’s chilly, but people still turn out,” said theater manager Virgil Berean, noting that Valentine’s Day weekend was one of the busiest of the season.ĭriving past the Ford as the big screen glows in the frigid winter’s night is quite a sight if you’re not expecting to see it. Not that the Ford typically needs all that space during the winter months, when operating days drop from seven to just Friday through Sunday and attendance dwindles by around 75 percent - down to just the diehards who really love the drive-in experience. And not just any winter, mind you, but the blistering, bullying winter that blows across the Detroit River from Canada.įormerly known as the Ford-Wyoming drive-in theater - before dropping the Wyoming along with four of its then nine screens in 2010 - the quintuple screener can still accommodate some 1,500 cars at a time. The 66-year-old Ford Drive-In, located in Dearborn, Mich., just outside the capital of American car culture known as the Motor City, is not only billed as the largest remaining drive-in theater in the U.S., it’s also one of a precious few that stays open throughout winter.

Related: Drive-ins Dwindle But Nostalgia Is Still Strong

#Ford drive in theatre movie

But as stone-cold crazy as the story might sound, you can watch a good old-fashioned outdoor movie from your car in the dead of Upper Midwestern winter.

The Barker family is excited to be bringing back the beloved Drive-In, with its original name, to everyone in Pictou County and - John Travolta would’ve been singing a very different tune if instead of Los Angeles, Olivia Newton-John stranded him at the drive-in in Detroit … in January. His family contemplated re-opening several times, but after six years, it was the pandemic of Covid -19 and people craving safe forms of entertainment that finally kicked them into gear! There is nothing quite as appealing as watching a favorite movie on a big screen from the safety of your own vehicle on a beautiful evening under the stars! A drive-in theatre provides a romantic and nostalgic alternative to the traditional indoor experience. The drive-in was not included in the deal and it subsequently closed to be repurposed and sold.Įric Barker, who owns Highland Ford and Highland Nissan next door to the drive-in, grasped the opportunity to purchase the property. Empire Theatres took over the operation in the early 1990’s and ran the Empire Drive-In until 2013, when Cineplex purchased Empire Theatres. By the mid ‘70s, it was operated by Odean Theatres and became known as the Odean Drive-In. The spelling was later changed to “Hyland” Drive-In in 1965. “Highland Drive-In Theatre” as it was first called, opened in the mid 1950’s. In 2020, we were thrilled to be bring back this timeless experience! Going to the Drive-In continues to be a summer tradition for families in Pictou County and beyond! The Drive-In Theatre has a rich history in Pictou County, and is known as a local landmark.