Midway Drive-In (Illinois)

The Midway Drive-In located in Sterling, Illinois is home to the oldest standing drive-in theatre screen in Illinois, one of only 12 left in the state.[1][2]

History

Opened in 1950, it is named for being located midway between Dixon and Sterling, Illinois.[1]

In 2007, the Midway Drive-In was purchased by Mike and Mia Kerz (who are also the founders of the Flashback Weekend Movie Conventions in Rosemont, Illinois).[2] The facility then underwent a two-year renovation. The historic Drive-In Screen Tower was refurbished and painted, the projection booth equipment was upgraded, and the concession stand was restored to its original '50's diner decor, including the retro "spaceship" ticket booth and the children's playground.[1][3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Down In Front". Filmsnobbery. Retrieved 2010-10-26. The first drive in theater to be opened in the state of Illinois is The Midway Drive In And Diner located in Sterling, Illinois, in 1950. The Midway is home to the oldest drive-in theater screen in Illinois, making it an official historical landmark. ...
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Movie dreams realized at Midway Drive-In in Sterling". Rockford Register Star. January 6, 2008. Retrieved 2010-10-26. The Midway is one of just 12 still in operation. The industry is making somewhat of a comeback by concentrating on family-friendly movies. The racy R-rated and sometimes X-rated movies that tarnished the reputations of outdoor theaters in the ’80s and ’90s now just go to video anyway.
  3. ↑ "Movies alfresco: Drive-in theaters are alive and well in the heartland". Radish magazine. July 25, 2007. Retrieved 2010-10-26. This theater first opened in 1950, and not much seems to have changed since then. Midway’s grounds and snack shop have a refreshingly subtle retro feel — like something that has actually been around awhile, instead of just having been made to look that way. While families set up chairs and blankets in (or next to, or on) their vehicles, kids play on the most classic and familiar sorts of playground equipment: wooden swings, a straight slide, a merry-go-round, and even a seesaw.

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