photo: Greg O'Sullivan
- Burton (Genesee County) Michigan
Miracle Twin Drive-in: 810-744-3800
located at 6383 East Court Street North
This large deuce has a capacity for up to 1000 cars
amidst its two screens and still has some traditional
Dr'in speakers; primarily FM radio sound; screening
double features, seasonally, April thru September ..
Admission: 12&up $6; ages 5-11 $2.50; under5 free.
- Carsonville (Sanilac County) Michigan
Hi-Way Drive-in: 810-657-6684
located at 2778 East Sanilac Road
(5 miles east of Sandusky)
The oldest of Michigan's remaining Drive-in theatres ..
(first lit back in 1947) had gotten to the point that it was
showing its years .. and then it was purchased by new
owners (2001 is their third season), who've been doing
much to revive it, and the increased attendance reflects
their commitment to making the most of it. The restored
Hi-Way screens double features from Memorial Day thru
Labor Day, using traditional speakers plus FM radio for
the movies' soundtrack. Admission: adults $6; kids $1.
- Coldwater (Branch County) Michigan
Capri Drive-in: 517-278-5628
located at 119 West Chicago Road - Hwy.12
(10 minutes west of Interstate 69)
The Capri was first lit in 1964 and has been operated
continuously ever since by the same family that built it.
Each of their twin screens is lit-up with a pair of double
features, seasonally, March thru October; on weekends
during spring & fall; 7 nites during peak summer season.
It's a popular tradition here to end the year with a really
cool sendoff - a wrap party on Halloween weekend; make
the scene, but if you go, go-as: anything but what you are!
Movie audio is provided with AM & FM radio broadcasts.
Admission: $6 per person (2 movies); kids under 12 free.
- Dearborn - Detroit area (Wayne County) Michigan
Ford Wyoming 1-2-3-4-5 Drive-in: 313-846-6910
located at 10400 Ford Road, ½ west
of the Intersection of Ford & Wyoming
This is America's largest Drive-in Theatre, with 9 screens
and parking for 3,000 cars collectively. They are also open
year-round (except in the most extreme weather), and have
traditional in-car heaters as well as traditional speakers
(FM Stereo broadcasting is also available for all movies).
Admission: $6.75 for adults; and free children under 11.
*
"Largest" in this context refers to the FW's capacity ..
but if you want to count screens, Florida's Thunderbird -
which opened with a single screen in 1963, now has 13.
- Dearborn - Detroit area (Wayne County) Michigan
Ford Wyoming 6-7-8-9: 313-582-1011
located 2 blks north of Ford Road, on Wyoming
The other half of the Drive-in movie complex above --
all the benefits of a mega-multiplex cinema, minus all
those cheezy little screens and the cramped seating!
- Dowagiac (Cass County) Michigan
Five Mile Drive-in: 616-782-7879
located at 28190 State Route 152 (M152)
Originally built in 1961, The "Fiver" is an immaculately
maintained Drive-in and one of the few that still has the
traditional playground for the wee folk. Local vicinity
radio broadcasts have replaced traditional speakers
for delivering the movies' soundtrack, providing both
AM (530) and FM (87.9) frequencies. The Fiver is open
seasonally - weekends only: Friday-Saturday-Sunday;
screening double features Memorial Day thru Labor Day.
Admissiion: $4.00 per person; free for children 5 & under.
- Flint (Genesee County) Michigan
23 Twin Drive-in: 810-238-0751
located at 5200 Fenton Road
(Hill Road exit from I-475 or US-23 expswy)
Admission: $5 age12&up; $2 ages 5-11; under5 free.
- see also: Burton (Genesse County)
- Grand Rapids (Kent County) Michigan
Dove Drive-in Theatre:
DARK
formerly located at 1 Monroe Center Street NW
- Hartford (Van Buren County) Michigan
Sunset Drive-in: 616-621-4194
located at 69017 Red Arrow Highway West
Solo screen, lit with double features, seasonally;
wknds only, May - Sept. They have a capacity for
up to 300 cars; movie audio: FM radio broadcast.
Admission: $7 per carload - covers all passengers.
- Honor (Benzie County) Michigan
Cherry Bowl Drive-in: 231-325-3413
located at 9812 Route 30 -aka: Honor Highway
(18 miles southwest of Traverse City on US31 South)
For almost half a century people have been coming
here - to the buckle on Michigan's rural cherry belt -
in the northwest corner of the state, to watch the
movies under the stars. You'll even see some who
are watching the popcorn popper .. which is also
a vintage item, dating back to 1953. THIS is one
of our favorites, a Drive-in that really retains and
preserves a sense of what the boom years were
like at an American Drive-in .. although FM radio
broadcasting is used to deliver the movies' audio,
original vacuum tube Motiograph amplifiers are
still powering speakers here on speaker posts
(which are all crowned with festive vintage red
glow lights, now a rare sight at a Drive-in). Their
screen stays lit in very classic fashion with intro
reels, vintage trailers, and even the cartoon reels
screened before & between the movies - always a
double feature (but only films rated G, PG, or PG13).
Open from the 1st weekend in May, thru September;
on Fri/Sat nites only at first, until mid-June; and then 7
nites a week in summer, thru Labor Day; and back to
weekends only (Fri/Sat) for the balance of September.
Admission: $7 ages 12&up; under 12 free, with adult.
Something else that you only see at very few of the
remaining Drive-ins, which was common in the 50's --
a miniature Golf course .. the one at the Cherry Bowl
has 19 holes (plan to get their early!) with obstacles
ranging from a castle & draw bridge, to rotating dice.
- Manistique (Schoolcraft County) Michigan
Cinema 2 Drive-in: 906-341-5920
located on Highway 2
Solo screen lit with double features,
open seasonally. Audio for the movies'
soundtrack is provided primarily with
FM radio broadcasts, in addition to
maintaining some traditional speakers.
This is one of the few Drive-ins which is
still screening pre-show cartoon reels.
Admission: $5 age 12&up; 11 & under free
(except when they screen Disney releases).
- Muskegon Heights (Muskegon County) Michigan
Getty 4-Screen Drive-in: 231-798-2608
located at 920 East Summit Avenue
It was looking like: Tango Utah and lights-out for this
huge outdoor quad, with a capacity for 1200 cars
(which is the last remaining Drive-in operating in
western Michigan) .. with a property sale pending,
for a proposed 156-unit housing development ..
word is, however, that the sale fell-through, and the
Getty's four screens will remain lit for Season 2003,
with a double-feature on each, on through September.
Admission: $7 age 12&up; $3.50 age 6-12; 5&under free.
Tues/Wed Bargain Nites: $3.50 age 12&up; $2.50 age 6-12.
There is also a FleaMkt swap-meet held here on wknds.
- Saginaw (Saginaw County) Michigan
Twilite Drive-in: DEMOLISHED
formerly located at 5810 State Street
- Sandusky (Sanilac County) Michigan
*
see listing under: Carsonville
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