Category Archives: 2017 Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey

This is the virtual tour that will imagine what it would be like to visit every North American drive-in theater in 2017 by visiting one or two every day. While the drive-ins, restaurants, and hotels are real, all the events in this section are fiction. But it’s fun to dream!

Apr. 2: Georgetown Drive-In, Georgetown IN

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It’s Day 92 of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey. It took almost two hours to drive from Paris KY through Lexington and Louisville to the Georgetown Drive-In in Georgetown IN.

The Georgetown opened in 1951 with a single screen. It added a second screen around the turn of the millennium.

According to an article in the Louisville Courier-Journal, a storm blew down the screen in 1996, but owner Bill Powell, Jr. called some friends and repaired it. His father had purchased the Georgetown in 1965.

“If there isn’t a drive-in going with a 50-mile radius of your community, I just feel like the community would be missing out on something,” said the younger Powell. “I’m just trying to keep something from the past alive.”

The Georgetown’s Facebook page says that it will be opening in May. Too bad it wasn’t open this Sunday evening; with the weather in the 60s, it would have been a nice night for a movie.

Miles Today / Total:  106 / 10305 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: dark / 46

Nearby Restaurant: I try to avoid most chains, so this was my first visit to an El Nopal location. (It’s just a regional chain, but I’d been seeing them in Kentucky.) The lunch combo starring a spinach and mushroom quesadilla provided a lot of tasty food for not a lot of money.

Where I Virtually Stayed: There was only one choice within Georgetown itself, so this was the first Red Roof Inn visit during my odyssey. That worked out well; my room was clean, the free wifi was solid, coffee was waiting for me when I arrived, and the continental breakfast got me going the next morning.

Only in Georgetown: This Georgetown IN is the town that was founded by and named for George Waltz in 1833. It’s important to make that distinction, because Georgetown IN is an uncommonly common name. So don’t confuse it with the Georgetown IN that’s an unincorporated area in adjacent Washington County, or the Georgetown IN that’s another unincorporated area named for George Cicott, or the Georgetown IN that was yet another unincorporated area that died out by 1882, or the more populous Georgetown IN that’s a “census-designated place” at the northern edge of the state.

Next Stop: Holiday Drive-In, Rockport IN.

April 1: Bourbon Drive-In Theatre, Paris KY

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It’s Day 91 of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey, the start of the second quarter. It started out easy, just a half-hour drive from Mount Sterling to the Bourbon Drive-In Theatre in Paris KY. It’s the last of my stops in Kentucky for this trip.

The Bourbon opened in July 1956 and has been managed or owned by the Earlywine family since then. Everett and Helen Earlywine purchased the drive-in in 1974, then Larry and Patricia Earlywine bought it in 1994. In a region where drive-ins have come and gone far too often, it’s nice to have a steady, dependable story like the Bourbon.

In 2013, the Lexington Herald-Leader ran a nice story (with almost two dozen photos) about the Bourbon. “You’ve got three or four generations of people, they started out with their babies, then they are teens and next those babies are bringing their babies to the movie,” said Trisha Earlywine. At the time, they were concerned about finding the money to switch to a digital projector. “It will be OK. That’s my tagline,” she said, and events proved her right again.

I was so glad to get a second drive-in night in a row that I didn’t mind watching the Kong: Skull Island a fourth time.

Miles Today / Total:  18 / 10199 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: Kong: Skull Island / 46

Nearby Restaurant: As mentioned below, there’s some possible historical significance to the site of the Paradise Cafe downtown. With a name and a setting like that, the biggest surprise is the amazing Asian cuisine they offer.

Where I Virtually Stayed: That would be the Best Western Paris Inn, since it’s about the only hotel in town. The room was comfortable and clean. There was some fruit available in the morning with a nice continental breakfast. I wish that every “only hotel in town” was as good as this one.

Only in Paris: The Shinner Building, located on the corner of 8th and Main Street, is listed by Ripley’s Believe It or Not! as the world’s tallest three-story structure. Built in 1891, it’s been used for commercial space and restaurants is currently home to the Paradise Cafe.

Next Stop: Georgetown Drive-In, Georgetown IN.

Mar. 31: Judy Drive-In, Mount Sterling KY

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It’s Day 90 of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey, the end of the first quarter. It started with another hour and a half of twisty Kentucky highways (plus a couple of interstates), this time from Stanford to Mount Sterling, home of the Judy Drive In.

The Judy opened on July 4, 1952. It shared much of its life in Mount Sterling with the Hiway Drive-In, which also opened in the early 1950s and lasted about 30 years.

A 2011 article in the Lexington Herald-Leader includes a few quotes from Judy manager Chris Erwin. “The drive-in experience is one that can’t be duplicated no matter what’s on screen, Erwin said. “It’s almost like a festival experience at the drive-in. As long as there is someone that loves the theater and enjoys the theater, there will still be drive-ins.”

After a week of dark screens, it was so nice to get back to an active drive-in. At the concession stand, I had a Judy burger and a funnel cake to celebrate. With only one screen, the Judy didn’t give me a film choice, but Kong: Skull Island was worthy of seeing a third time.

Miles Today / Total:  73 / 10181 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: Kong: Skull Island / 45

Nearby Restaurant: In my experience, when I’m hungry, nothing sounds better than a steakhouse. After another day of driving across Kentucky, I was hungry, so I was glad to find the Cattleman’s Roadhouse here. The unlimited salad bar was just what I needed to get full yet save room for a concession stand dinner that night.

Where I Virtually Stayed: That would be the Ramada Limited in town. The room was large and clean. I enjoyed the scrambled eggs and sausage in my breakfast, and I was ready to face the second quarter of my year-long virtual odyssey.

Only in Mount Sterling: Every October, Mount Sterling hosts Court Days, Kentucky’s oldest annual festival. From when it was founded just before 1800, Mount Sterling was the trading center for a vast part of Eastern Kentucky, and its Court Day quickly became the region’s annual trading day for much of Eastern Kentucky. Now over 129,000 people from all parts of the country gather for the four-day event of arts and crafts, food and music.

Next Stop: Bourbon Drive-In Theatre, Paris KY.