Last time I was here it was in pretty terrible shape. Everything was worn out and rusting. The place was filled with pot smoke and a bit of despair. Over the years I would pass by off to visit family or some other adventure and find it incredible that the 5 Drive in was still around.

This summer I had got it in my head that I should go to the Drive in. Co opting a lovely cohort and her trusty bulldog sidekick we set of on this expedition. I truly didn’t know what to expect. Rust and neglect, and stale pot clouds making us feel like we might target in a slasher flick ? A sad bit of nostalgia of years gone past where the drive in was the thing to do Leaving us out in the lot with a few surviving fifties greasers?

It was quite a pleasant surprise to find that Premier Theatres had taken over and had put some care into the facility. The corrugated steel fencing had been repaired and painted navy blue. Washing the depressing weathered brown it once was. Trees had been planted along the fence.

The main building had been panted the same blue and spaceship themed logos and the the 5 Drive in logo had been mounted in neon lights.

The one snack bar had taken on a nostalgic turn with a diner sign out front and the children’s park had been cleaned up and painted.

The space ship climbing structure which I had climbed on nearly thirty years ago! It was a fun night out and a pleasure to see the 5 drive in cleaned up and seeing new families out enjoying the experience of seeing a film under a sprawling sky.

http://www.5drivein.com/