Domenica BongiovanniIndianapolis Star
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Editor's note: This story was originally published in 2022. We are republishing it as part of our spring entertainment coverage. Some prices or time elements may be out of date.
We've entered the season in which humming cicadas, delectable snacks and sticky air combine to gift Hoosiers one of our favorite summer traditions: nights at the drive-in theater.
Twenty such establishments still operate in Indiana, offering blockbusters and retro films while satisfying unabashed cravings for deep-fried appetizers and all manner of sweet delights.
Find the complete list of drive-in theaters and what to know below. To enjoy a smooth evening, we offer the following advice: Check Facebook and the theaters' websites for information on how to listen to the movie, when to arrive, if your dog can accompany you and whether you can bring your own food.
Happy movie watching!
Auburn Garrett Drive-In (Garrett)
1014 State Road 8 in Garrett. Check the Auburn Garrett Drive In on Facebook and auburngarrettdrivein.com for showtimes.
The drive-in was closed for the 2023 season while it installed a new screen after its old one was damaged in a storm, according to its Facebook page. Watch Facebook for reopening updates.
Bel-Air Drive-In (Versailles)
337 N. U.S. Highway 421 in Versailles. Check the Bel-Air Drive-In on Facebook and belairdrivein.com for showtimes. 812-689-5525
$10 adults,$5 ages 5-11 along with seniors and active U.S. military with ID.Free ages 4 and under. Cash only at ticket booth.
Since its 1952 opening, the Bel-Air Drive-In has stayed in the family, third-generation owner Allan Chorpenning said. Speaking of tradition, make sure to try something — French fries, nachos,hot dogs — slathered in Coney sauce from the family'srecipe or one of their pizzas.
Centerbrook Drive-In (Martinsville)
6735 State Road 67 North inMartinsville. Check Centerbrook Drive-Inon Facebook andcenterbrookdrivein.com for showtimes.317-831-1526
$10 adults, $5 ages 6-12, free ages 5 and under.
Watch the screen light up in the midst of a Southern Indiana landscape full of hills and trees. The popcorn, fried mushrooms and funnel cake fries loaded with powdered sugar come recommended here.
Cinema 67 (Spencer)
2037 State Road 67 inSpencer. Check Cinema 67 Drive In Theateron Facebook and cinema67.comfor showtimes.812-879-4240
$9 adults, $5 ages 5-11, free ages 4 and under.
The online menu's concessions boast Polish sausage sandwiches and burritos that rest on nachos, among other mouth-watering items.
Georgetown Drive-In (Georgetown)
8200 State Road 64 in Georgetown. Check Georgetown Drive-Inon Facebook andgeorgetowndrivein.com for showtimes. 812-951-2616
$12 adults, $6 ages 6-12, free ages 5 and under.Cash only at box office.
You'll find some window speakers along with a playground in this spot that opened in 1951. Enjoy the traditional drive-in concessions and an expanded menu on weekends.
Holiday Drive-In Theatre (Mitchell)
1055 State Road 37 in Mitchell. Check Holiday Drive In Theater Mitchell INon Facebook and holidaydrivein.bizfor showtimes.
$10 adults, $5 ages 6-12, free ages 5 and under. $25 Sunday night carload within limits, excluding holiday weekends.
Be sure to order a steakburger, cooked the old-fashioned way on a grill. If you don't feel like a burger, try chicken, tenderloins, French fries, soft-serve ice cream or a fish sandwich.
Holiday Drive-In (Rockport)
646 N. State Road161 inRockport. Check Holiday Drive-Inon Facebook and holidaydrivein.comfor showtimes.812-649-2857
$12 adults, $6 ages 4-11.
Just east of Evansville, the Holiday opened in 1955 and has grown steadily since then, adding more screens. The concession menu boasts the all-American favorites, including double cheeseburgers, onion rings and snow cones.
Hummel Drive-In (Winchester)
2870 E. State Road 32 inWinchester. Check Hummel Drive-Inon Facebook and hummeldrivein.comfor showtimes.765-546-8223
$10 adults, $5 ages 5-10, free ages 4 and under.Cash only.
After the Airline Twin Drive-In closed in 2014, Shawn and Pauletta Hummel bought it and gave it a new life. The couple's purchase kept the decades-old icon alive and gave their kids the opportunity to learn about hard work, Pauletta Hummel said.
What to eat? Try a pizza burger or walking taco.
Huntington Twin Drive-In (Goodrich)
1291 Condit St. inHuntington. Check GQT Huntington Twin Drive-In on Facebook andgqtmovies.com for showtimes.260-356-2924
$6 adults, $3 ages 3-11, free ages 2 and under.
Look for candy, traditional pizzas and burgers along with limited-time specials that have included golden buckets for popcorn and drink refill deals.
Lake Shore Drive-In Theatre (Monticello)
100 Rickey Road. inMonticello. Check Lake Shore Drive-In Theatreon Facebook and lakeshoredrivein.comfor showtimes.574-583-0311
$10 adults, $5 ages 4-12, free ages 3 and under.
The menu includes funnel cakes, breadsticks and the regular concession fare at the Monticello theaterthat's been part of the community fabric for about seven decades.
M.E.L.S. at the Starlite Drive-In (Thorntown)
8721 N. State Road 39 inThorntown. Check M.E.L.S. At The Starlite Drive-Inon Facebook and melsdrive-intheatre.comfor showtimes.765-325-2230
$25 carload admission.
M.E.L.S. — located between Lafayette and Indianapolis — has long been a staple in Mechanicsburg, with admission-per-carload that lets you pack everyone in.
Melody Drive-In (Knox)
7055 S. U.S. Highway 35 inKnox. Check Melody Drive-In Theatreon Facebook and melodydrivein.comfor showtimes.574-772-2042
$9 adults, $7 seniors, $5 kids ages 5-11, free ages 4 and under.
Up in the northern half of the state, Melody has all the eats to satisfy. Make sure the double cheeseburgers are on your radar — they're customer favorites.
Moon Lite Drive-In (Terre Haute)
5056 N. Lafayette Ave. in Terre Haute. CheckMoon Lite Drive-In Theater -Terre Hauteon Facebook and moonliteterrehaute.comfor showtimes.812-244-1275
Single-feature nights: $8 adults, $4 ages 6-12, free ages 5 and under. Double-feature nights:$10 adults,$5 ages 6-12, free ages 5 andunder. Tuesday retro nights: free.
Reopened in late 2018, the drive-in on the north side of Terre Haute programs nights with retro and single-feature showings in addition to the traditional two-film nights. Check their Facebook page for early-arrival discounts.
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Skyline Drive-In Theatre (Shelbyville)
3986 E. Michigan Road. in Shelbyville. Check The Skyline Drive-Inon Facebook andtheskylinedrivein.com for showtimes.
$8 adults, $4 ages 3-11, free ages 2 and under. $24 per carload on Sundays or individual tickets, whichever is less.
The Skyline made sure to keep its 35-millimeter projector after it converted to digital, which means it plays selections that aren't conducive to newer technology. Keep on the lookout for special events like August's Super Monster Movie Fest. Anddon't sleep on the foodie's paradise selections like locally sourced beef jerky, feta fries and three-cheese-blend pizzas with mozzarella, provolone and Muenster.
Starlite Drive-In (Bloomington)
7640 S. Old State Road 37 in Bloomington. Check Starlite Drive-In Theateron Facebook and starlitebloomington.comfor showtimes.812-824-2277
Single-feature nights:$8 adults,$4 ages6-12, free ages 5 and under. Double-feature nights:$10 adults, $5 ages6-12, free ages 5 and under. Tuesday retro nights: free.
In addition to first-run movies, be sure to take advantage of retro movie nights. Among the summer's highlights: "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," "Spaceballs" and "A League of Their Own."
Tibbs Drive-In Theatre (Indianapolis)
480 S. Tibbs Ave. in Indianapolis. Check The Tibbs Drive-Inon Facebook andtibbsdriveintheatre.com for showtimes.317-243-6666
$12 adults, $6 ages 4-12, free ages 3 and under.
The only drive-in theater left inside Indianapolis' city limits has four screens and a reputation for friendly staff with good movie recommendations.
Tri-Way Drive-In Theatre (Plymouth)
4400 Michigan Road in Plymouth. Check Tri-Way Drive-In Theatreon Facebook and triwaydrivein.comfor showtimes.
$10 adults,$8 ages 4-11, free ages 3 and under. Cash only.
So named for its location onU.S. 31 between U.S. 6 and U.S. 30, the drive-in opened in 1953. The woman who submitted the winning name received a year's pass to the theater for her family.
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13-24 Drive-In (Wabash)
890 N. State Road 13 inWabash. Check 13-24 Drive Inon Facebook andhoneywellarts.org/drive-in for showtimes.260-563-5745
$6 adults, $4 kids on weekends. $20 per carload of four or more. $10 carloads for Thursday retro reels.
Among the throwbacks this year are "Twilight," "13 Going on 30" and "Billy Madison." The theater was named before its 1951 opening for the intersection where it resides — State Road 13and Federal Road24, now called the Hoosier Heartland Highway.
49'er Drive-in Theatre (Valparaiso)
675 N. Calumet AvenueinValparaiso. Check 49'er Drive-In TheatreonFacebook and 49erdrivein.comfor showtimes.219-462-6122
$10 adults, $5 ages 5-11, free ages 4 and under. Cash only.
Have yourself an iconic Hoosier summer day by spending hours under the sun at Indiana Dunes National Park and then driving about 15 minutes to the 49'er Drive-in in time for nightfall. The theateropened in 1956 and played "The Seven Little Foys," starringBob Hope, as its first movie, according to newspaper archives.
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Contact IndyStar reporter Domenica Bongiovanni at 317-444-7339 or d.bongiovanni@indystar.com. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: @domenicareports.
