While they are few and far between, there are still some theaters in the Nutmeg State where you can drive up and watch a movie right from your car.
Patrons enjoy movies offered on three screens at Mansfield Drive-In Movie Theater in Mansfield, Conn., on May 26.
Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media
The Original Southington Drive-In and Mansfield Drive-In Theater have announced movie line-ups filled with a mix of classic films and new movies. Vice Chair of the Southington Drive-In Committee Dawn Miceli told Hearst Connecticut Media in 2023 that the nostalgia factor keeps fans coming back to the theater, which originally opened in 1955.
"Even if they themselves never attended a drive-in when they were young, just introducing this kind of experience to their children [is special] ... We call it 'reel nostalgia,' " Miceli told Hearst Connecticut Media in 2023.
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Meanwhile, the future of some other drive-in theaters in the state seems uncertain. The Pleasant Valley Drive-In in Barkhamsted, which was sold to new owners in 2022, remains shuttered for the second year in a row. At the time of the purchase, the new owners said they planned to upgrade the snack bar, provide indoor seating and add other amenities. However, unless Pleasant Valley Properties applies for new permits for such activities, along with any site work on the property, the renovation project can't move forward, according to the town of Barkhamsted.
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In 2020, a new year-round theater, The River Drive-In Movie Theater, was also announced for an opening in Wethersfield. However, the project has not posted any updates on its Facebook page since 2021.
- Includes additional reporting by Emily M. Olson.
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Here are the drive-in movie theaters still open in the Nutmeg State:
The Southington Drive-In
Southington
The Original Southington Drive-In located at 995 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike in Southington, hosts drive-in movies every Saturday night starting June 1. Gates open at 6 p.m.
The theater plays a mix of newer movies as well as classics. Some of the upcoming movies for the 2024 season include "Jaws," "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," "Paddington 2," "Minions: The Rise of Gru," "Finding Dora," "Kung Fu Panda 4," "Back to the Future" and "Wonka," according to its Facebook page. The movie theater's calendar shows are scheduled to run through Sept. 14. More movies will be announced in the days leading up to the start of the season.
Tickets are $20 per carload and $5 for individual walk-ins. The theater takes cash only. Guests are allowed to bring their own food or buy it from a concession stand.
Mansfield Drive-In Theater and Marketplace
Mansfield
The Mansfield Drive-In Theater, located at 228 Stafford Road in Mansfield, plays new releases and occasional older movies.
It is currently playing "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire," "IF" and "Abigail," among others.
Tickets are $13 per person for ages 12 years old and up, $9 for children 4 to 11 years old and $9 for seniors and military members. It is currently open Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, but will be open seven days a week starting in mid-June, according to its website. Gates open at 7:15 p.m. The theater allows guests to bring dogs.
A flea market onsite selling antiques is open every Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Thanksgiving. Dogs are not allowed at the flea market.
