National Drive-In Movie Day was celebrated nationwide June 6. The date marks the anniversary of the opening, on June 6, 1933, of the first drive-in movie theater, in Camden, N.J.
June would seem perfect timing, since school districts will set children free this month. Connecticut still has three active drive-in theaters, but none are open this week on Tuesdays.
Nonetheless, you can experience the Mansfield Drive-In at 228 Stafford Road Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and will expand to daily showings on June 16. Pleasant Valley Drive-In, 47 River Road in Barkhamsted, is open Thursdays to Sundays. Both theaters show first-run movies.
Southington Drive-In, 995 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike, which is owned by the town, is open Saturday nights only, showing classic family films.
Drive-ins have fun events planned on other days. On June 17, in conjunction with the opening weekend of “Cars 3,” race cars from Stafford Speedway and their drivers will be at Mansfield, to meet theater goers before the movie starts. Mansfield’s owner, Michael Jungden, said the theater recently got a live-music permit from the town and is planning concerts to complement movies.
“At this point in history, drive-ins really need to become more event centers than perhaps in the past because the movie business isn’t that strong in the U.S., not drive-ins specifically but the movie business in general,” Jungden said.
For details about the theaters, visit pleasantvalleydriveinmovies.com, mansfielddrivein.com and southingtondrive-in.com.
