A Night at the Movies: Behind the scenes at the Holiday Drive-In Theater

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - As the Summer continues to wind down, one Tri-State summertime staple is still going strong: the Holiday Drive-In Theater.

In a quiet corner of Spencer County stands a monument to the love of movies. It has been a can’t-miss attraction for Tri-State cinephiles since 1955.

From the snacks to the environment, if you ask around, there’s a lot to love about a drive-in movie theater.

“Expect the nostalgia and enjoy the ride,” said theater-goer Clyde Bowman.

“Love the hot dogs, love the burgers,” said Drive-In Co-owner Brynne Moseley Henderson.

“It’s pretty outside,” said theater-goer Jae’lynn Gathings.

“Bring a hoodie, bring some chairs, a blanket, and just sit and enjoy it,” said theater-goers Ashley and Adam Bittel.

The Holiday Drive-In Theater is open from May through October each year, and it’s been enticing movie fans for decades, some of which keep coming back.

“Just the experience,” said Adam.

“It reminds me of being a kid,” said Ashley.

“The whole vintage experience too, of at least having a drive-in still to come to,” said Bowman.

Drive-ins were once a staple, with 4 to 5,000 running across the country. Now that number is closer to 300.

“Not many are out there anymore, and I feel very lucky, very blessed that I have the opportunity to do it,” said Henderson.

As the weather gets colder, and we enter spookier times of year, they start to show classic horror movies. This weekend’s pick was 1978′s Halloween, which was a reason to come by itself, especially if you’re bored.

“The original is just my absolute favorite horror movie,” said theater-goer Breanna Julian.

“We had nothing else to do,” said Jae’lynn Gathings.

People settled in and got comfortable before the movie, in a way that isn’t possible at a standard theater.

“We can create our own environment,” said Angela.

“It just ain’t no better than this right here,” said Randy.

Even though many in attendance remember the theater from their childhood, the theater is also winning over a new generation.

“It’s very fun,” said Jae’lynn.

Click here for more information on the Holiday Drive-In Theater, or to see a list of their current show times.

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