Apr. 4: Drive N Theatre, Newton IL

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It’s Day 94 of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey. It took about two and a half hours to drive the shortest route between the the Holiday Drive-In in Rockport IN and the Drive N Theatre in Newton IL.

According to the theater web site, the Drive N opened as the Fairview Drive-in Theatre in 1953. In the early 1990’s, the Fairview briefly closed after the screen was damaged by a storm. It soon reopened under new management and was eventually remodeled in 2002 boasting a new concession area and screen.

The Fairview closed after the 2014 season and was sold. In June 2015, its new owners reopened it as the Drive N.

Although it’s been open for a full month this season, the Drive N is only open on Fridays and Saturdays this time of year, so I missed out by arriving on a Tuesday. I won’t even be able to stick around for this Saturday’s Easter egg hunt. Oh well.

Miles Today / Total:  121 / 10513 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: dark / 46

Nearby Restaurant: There aren’t many drive-ins as remote as the Drive N. Back in Newton, I picked the Filler Up Buffet because, you know, it says buffet right in the name. All you can eat home cooked meals and made from scratch desserts including pecan pie. Yum!

Where I Virtually Stayed: If you’re going to stay in Newton, you’re definitely going to want to stay at the Cobblestone Hotel and Suites. Cobblestone is a smaller hotel chain in the Midwest, but if they’re all like the one in Newton, I’ll keep searching them out. There was wine and beer in the evening, a refrigerator in my room, and a great breakfast buffet. In between, a little casino! First time I’ve run into that at a small-town hotel.

Only in Newton: The grave of beloved actor, Rudolph narrator and folk singer Burl Ives is in the Mound Church Cemetery between the towns of Oblong and Newton.

Next Stop: Skyview Drive-In, Belleville IL.