Author Archives: mrdrivein

Harvest Moon reaches its fundraising goal

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Harvest Moon Drive-In logoThe Paxton (IL) Record reports that the Harvest Moon Twin Drive-In (Gibson City) reached its fundraising goal of $165,000 and will reopen for a new season on March 29. We’ve been following this saga on Carload here and here.

Manager Ben Harroun said that he’s waiting to hear from his supplier to know when the new digital projection equipment will be installed. In addition, the money will be used to refurbish the marquee, snack bar, gift shop and restrooms, and the old-time carousel will be painted with a new canopy.

More than 800 individuals and companies donated to the fundraiser, and on Tuesday, a $10,000 donation from Neal Tire & Auto in Gibson City put them over the top. For more details, go check out that article.

Update: Pantagraph.com, apparently tied in with the Gibson City Courier, provides a few more details and a really nice photo of the Harvest Moon’s marquee.

Twilite may become Municipal Heritage Property

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Wolseley Town Hall and Opera House

Wolseley City Hall and Opera House, photo by BriYYZ

SaskNewsNow.com reports that the Twilite Drive-In of Wolseley, Saskatchewan, may be designated as a Municipal Heritage Property by the regional municipality of Wolseley. (The story refers to Wolseley as an ‘RM’, as if I’d know what that meant without looking it up.)

“It’s an important part of our community,” said Rose Zimmer, administrator for the RM of Wolseley. “It’s an important part of our history.”

According to the article, the Twilite was the first drive-in in Saskatchewan when it opened 59 years ago, and it’s still being operated by the family of its original owners. The MHP designation could make the Twilite eligible for government grants, which would be used to upgrade the screen or the physical plant, but it won’t help with digital transition expenses. They still plan to hold fundraisers to buy a digital projector this spring.

To get an idea of how small and cute the Twilite is, check out this Google overhead view, then go see the file photo that accompanies the SaskNewsNow article. That is such a dear little drive-in, and I’d love to visit it some day.

Hybrid drive-in in Athens AL goes digital

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There was a short note in the Athens AL News Courier that mentioned that the Cinemagic Theater there had converted to digital for its five indoor screens and its drive-in. (The full story is floating around somewhere on that site, but only for paid subscribers.) The wording of that note sounded a little odd to me, so I looked up the Cinemagic in Google Maps, and the result is over there to the right of these words.

This is such a good idea that I’m surprised I don’t see it more often: The Cinemagic, which opened as a drive-in in 1997, converted or added a small indoor multiplex that swallowed the old projection and concession stand in 2006. From the look of the satellite photo, (you might have to zoom in to see it better), the Cinemagic is down to three rows for cars, and it stretched those rows extra wide. I don’t think I’d want to park in one of those far west spaces, but I think it’s great that this drive-in found an unusual way to stay alive.