After suffering a decline in the 1970s and 1980s, drive-in theaters have recently begun regaining popularity. Some of the abandoned theaters that were overgrown with weeds have reopened, and some new ones have been built.

The concept of watching movies in your vehicle began way back in the 1930s. A young man named Richard Hollingshead hung a sheet in his backyard and projected a movie onto it from a projector on the hood of his car. He patented the idea in 1933, and the first drive-in was built in Camden, New Jersey not long after. The price for entry was a mere 25 cents. The audio in these first theaters was not great, however, over the years it drastically improved with the advent of in-car speakers.

By 1942, there were almost 100 theaters in 27 states. The war caused some theaters to close temporarily because of shortages of gas and rubber. After the war the boom began. Young families began attending, and many theaters installed playgrounds. The concession stands were efficient and could serve the viewers in a 10 minute intermission. In 1948, a theater opened in Asbury Park, New Jersey, that would even accomodate airplanes. One drive in, called the All-Weather Drive-In in Copiague, New York, also had an indoor theater in the event of inclement weather.

By 1958, there were more than 5,000 drive-ins in existence in America. Throughout the world, there were more than 17,000 theaters. More activities were added, including pony rides and miniature golf. Theaters would open the gates as early as 3 hours before the first showing. Some even installed eat-in cafeterias. In-car heaters were introduced, along with rolling concession carts and car hops to deliver concession foods to the cars.

During the 1960s, drive-ins began to lose popularity, and the 1970s led to the decline. Some theorize that daylight savings time led to the downturn, and some say that it was because there simply weren't as many families to attend. Many drive-ins closed, and others geared their showings to an older audience. The 1970s and 1980s brought cable and VCRs, allowing people to watch movies from the comfort of their own home. Indoor theaters with air conditioning and other amenities were also being built during this time. By 1990, the number of drive-ins had dwindled to 910, with many having been sold to developers.

Something happened in the 1990s, and families rediscovered the drive-in. Some drive-ins reopened, and a few new ones were built. People in other countries have realized the draw of the drive-in and some have even been built in Russia and Spain.

Hopefully, drive-ins will be around for many years to come, so that young families can experience what their parents and grandparents did when they were young families.

_{Copyright 2009, K. Frost}