Movie theaters have just reopened after the many months of lockdown, but fear of catching the coronavirus wasn”™t an issue for those who took in a movie at the local drive-in.
According to Wikipedia, barely any exist, but that”™s not so in the Hudson Valley. While their popularity and number have been significantly chiseled away, those that remain saw their popularity skyrocket when they became the only game in town for movie lovers tired of being couch potatoes. In the process, many families rediscovered how family-friendly the drive-in can be, especially those that offer pricing by the carload.
The once-thriving industry reached its peak in the 1960s, when nearly everyone who had an automobile had access to an outdoor movie experience. By the late 1980s, multiplex theatres with arcades and kiddie rides had replaced the drive-in as a go-to destination. (Rockland County”™s last drive-in on Route 59 closed in 1987 and will soon become a multistory apartment complex.)
The United Drive-In Theatre Association (UDITA) listed only 305 drive-ins across the country as of 2019 as members, but many drive-ins that still survive and thrive are not reflected in UDITA”™s membership numbers. For those who live in the Hudson Valley or enjoy a day trip north, drive-ins are still a popular destination.
Here”™s where you can catch a movie:
Orange County
Fair Oaks Drive-In, Middletown
With two screens, Fair Oaks has a steady business buoyed by live shows. This year, Andrew Dice Clay fans can catch him in person, and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” will be live on the stage. 845-316-2266
Warwick Drive-In, Warwick
Opened since 1950, the Seeber/Wilson family has owned the drive-in for the past 20 years. Now expanded to three screens, it reopened March 26. 845-986-4440
Dutchess County
Four Brothers Drive-In, Amenia
The Stefanopoulus family-owned drive-in can accommodate 125 cars and is open April through October. It offers camping (Hotel Carvana) on site, which must be booked in advance. For those who enjoy the food, they can choose from the Four Brothers Pizza Inn on site. 845-373-8178
Hyde Park Drive-In, Hyde Park
Historic Hyde Park is the setting for this single-screen drive-in on Route 9W, opened in 1949 and continuously owned and operated by the Cohen family. Its 12 acres offer ample parking for its single-screen showings. 845-229-4738
Overlook Drive-In, Poughkeepsie
Opened in 1955 by the Cohen family, who also own and operate the Hyde Park Drive-In, this location is also a single-screen outdoor theater. 845-452-3445
Story Screen Drive-In
Beacon Theatre, Beacon
This new drive-in opened as a result of the pandemic and met with such success that it has returned for a second season. Located in Beacon”™s USC Park, it showcases classic films. It opens on Friday, May 28 with a screening of “Grease” with Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta. 845-440-7706. All tickets are advance sales.
