THE DRIVE-IN EXPERIENCE!!!!!

Warmer weather is on the way and soon vacations will kick in, ball games will take place and picnics will pop up in parks across the country. And one other thing will take place in towns that are fortunate enough to have kept alive a grand tradition in American culture: Drive-Ins will be open!

The Drive-In started longer ago than most would think, the first being patented in 1932. By 1948 there were 820 Drive-Ins across the country. But it was in the fifties when Drive-Ins reached their peak popularity with close to 5,000 Drive-Ins in existence by 1958. They begin to slowly fade away in the sixties and seventies and that has continued. Owners found that they could make more money selling off the land their Drive-In was on to developers. It wasn't worth the battle for some. Those that have stuck it out do so because of their love for the medium.

And who could not love it? Anyone who has not experienced a Drive-In has no clue what those who love them are talking about. They have no concept of what it is all about, why anyone would want to go sit outside and listen to a small metal speaker play the soundtrack when a perfectly good 3-D version of the latest hit can be seen indoors complete with air conditioning. If you know someone like this and have a Drive-In nearby, kidnap them and take them to the Drive-In. Let them experience it and tell them to soak it all in rather than complain about the missing AC.

The Drive-In was and remains an experience. Think back to your childhood, the first time you went to a Drive-In. The sun was setting and it wasn't near dark and yet when you pulled up the first thing you saw was a brightly lit sign with flashing bulbs forming an arrow pointing to the entrance. On that sign was a list of what was playing that night and with luck what was coming next week. The traffic was backed up but the slight breeze kept you from having to inhale the exhaust fumes of the car in front of you, packed tight with teens on their way in or another family out for the night. Looking up you could see the name of the Drive-In written in neon on the back of the screen, a screen which seemed larger than any you'd ever seen before. Your father pulled into the ticket booth, paid the full car price and in you went.

Not yet in the actual area you drove forward, a fence blocking your view of what was to come. As the fence slowly descended you saw it all, a filed of gravel or sometimes gravel drives with grass parking areas for the cars. Row upon row of posts holding two speakers, one for cars on either side, could be seen. Up front the portions put together to make the one big screen were visible but it didn't matter, it was still huge. And below that was a playground filled with kids already swinging, teeter tottering or spinning on a playground merry-go-round.

Finding the perfect spot was a task to which your father was up to. Cruising up and down the various lanes, looking for that spot that was just right, not too close and not too far, with enough of an incline so that even those in the back seat could see the screen over the head rests. It also had to be close enough to the concession stand that all bathroom breaks could be taken care of quickly without missing the movie or so that the walk from stand to car was not so distant that half of the popcorn purchases spilled on the way back.

The playground was a place to behold. While today no one would think of leaving their child unattended, in the past it was a safe haven where no one was disturbed or kidnapped. It was a place where you could go before the movie began and play to your heart's content. At least until the first previews began. While a certain number of injuries occurred here (sorry about the chin sis), for the most part this was safe school type playground toys. The worst part of the playground was when they had a particular item everyone loved and you had to wait in line for a turn to get on. For the kids it was a fun time, for the adults, some time to spend alone without the kids there begging to go to the concession stand.

The concession stand. That holy grail of treats that were advertised from just prior to the movie beginning to the intermission between. The minute you finally parked you began to notice it. The aroma of freshly popped popcorn blew across the early evening breeze and instilled a craving that was more intense than you could handle. If it weren't for the playground you'd be begging to go to the stand immediately. Once you returned from the playground it was of the utmost importance that you dragged your mom or dad there.

Concessions stands differed from place to place. Some were simple structures that gave you the basics. Others were things of beauty. I recall one that impressed the minute you walked in. The walls were paneled and spread every 3 feet were posters of coming attractions. There was no way you would leave without checking each and ever one. The stand itself had chrome rails to direct you down the line and each and every portion of the counter was brushed stainless steel. As you moved down the line you were exposed to glass doored bins that held goodies from hot dogs to hamburgers to pizza burgers to the ever popular Castelberry Pit Cooked Barbecue Sandwich. Next were trays with bright orange lights illuminating cups of Buttercup popcorn or boxes of popcorn. Then came the drinks. Some places poured them fresh from machines we now see at fast food joints. Some had cups filled and ready to go. The most impressive, for a child, was the place that had a person with a hose like you see in your sink but that would, with the press of one button or another, dispense either Coke, Sprite, Root Beer or some other flavor...all from the same handle! Lastly was the candy rack, filled with the same treats movie lovers have grown to adore...Goobers, Raisinets, Caramel Creams, M&Ms and more. Dad paid and it was back to the car, goodies in hand.

Perhaps the neighbors had come to the Drive-In too, or someone your folks knew. They'd stand around a bit talking, discussing their day and their lives. They'd laugh and joke and talk about what they came to see, which movie they thought would be best. More friends they knew would come along and they'd enjoy each other's company before the sun finally set and the movie would begin.

As it got dark, you settled in for the first movie. With any luck previews started your night, followed by a cartoon or two, just as dusk began and before it was dark enough to actually watch the movie you came to see. Pajamas were put on, a blanket spread over the top of the car and you and your siblings lay down to watch that first movie. Back at the concession stand dad had made sure to see you weren't bitten by mosquitoes by purchasing a Pic mosquito coil. He lit the end and it slowly burned down sending forth those noxious fumes that would keep all bugs away.

At intermission it was always time to hit the concession stand, at least for a bathroom break if not for more goodies. The only difference was this time the amount you took back wasn't near that of the first visit. Perhaps a drink to share. If you loved previews of coming attractions this was your time. During the intermission you were able to watch ads for things you might have missed at the concession stand and now wished you hadn't. While the colors on the ads were long since faded or turned purple, the items they talked about still looked great. The countdown began between ads, showing us the minutes until the second feature began. Finally that movie started. The weakest sibling always fell asleep first. The movie lover stayed awake all night long.

The movie would end; the announcer would thank you for attending their theater and remind you to replace the speaker before leaving. Dreamy siblings were put in the car, you joined them and watched as the line of red tail lights headed for the exit. If your dad waited you noticed cars still parked around the lot not realizing (until your teen years) just why they would still be there. Finally you headed home, amazed at the entire spectacle of that evening and ready to experience it once more. 

You see, in attending that Drive-In you weren't simply going to a movie. You were becoming part of a community. You were in your own fenced in world, enjoying that which you loved most in the days before you could download or stream anything you wanted to see. And actually being a part of the community was more exposure to people than most have today. In a world where we spend most of our time relating to other people by posting on Facebook or Twitter, where we rarely leave our houses and where we socialize via media instead of face time, the Drive-In gave us that one on one experience with other people. It wasn't just about seeing the movie, it was about going out. It was about being among other people. Sadly, those days seem to be less and less now.

My recommendation is to go out to a Drive-In when it opens nearby. Experience what it's like. Don't complain about the bugs and the heat; take a hand fan and some Off. Make sure that your kids have the chance to see what a Drive-In is really like. Let them play on the swings without feat of minor scrapes, let them have fun. Take some food with you if you like, but make sure you by popcorn that is fresh and drinks that aren't flat by hitting the concession stand. Have friends go to and make a night of it. Heck, invite the whole neighborhood and have a block party at the Drive-In! Above all support your local Drive-In, don't let it just become another part of American culture that dies with time. As those who continue to go to Drive-Ins will tell you, they're still doing business and people are still having a great time. Become one of those people.