photo by Earl Leatherberry from the Carload Flickr pool
It’s Day 80 of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey. It took just a hour to drive from the Swingin’ Midway Drive-In to the Parkway Drive-In Theatre in Maryville TN.
According to Cinema Treasures, The Parkway Drive-In opened in 1950 and closed in 1984. Blue Moon Theatres group bought, refurbished, and reopened the Parkway in 1999. It has added digital projection equipment, and from all accounts, the Parkway is doing great in its second life.
Alas, the Parkway is closed until “Spring of 2017,” which literally began the day before I arrived. The most relevant takeaway was that it wasn’t showing movies while I was there. Oh well.
Miles Today / Total: 47 / 9600 (rounded to the nearest mile)
Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: dark / 43
Nearby Restaurant: It’s right next door in Alcoa, and I just had to try Hot Rods 50’s Diner. Not only is the place knee-deep in the time of drive-in theater mania, it serves really great burgers. And I really love being able to play pinball with or without a meal.
Where I Virtually Stayed: The Luxbury Inn in Maryville took care of me. Good strong wifi means a lot when I’m trying to keep the site updated. I didn’t stay long enough to take full advantage of the kitchenette, and the continental breakfast got me on my way again.
Only in Maryville: Maryville sits near one of the main entrances to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The GSMNP is ramping up for Aug. 21 this year when a solar eclipse will cover the western half of the park. Maryville is also along the path of the eclipse; I wonder if the Parkway will show anything while it’s dark at 2:30 in the afternoon.
Next Stop: Sparta Drive-In, Sparta TN.