The most striking element of this rebranding is the art mural set to be displayed on the original screen tower facing Van Buren Blvd. Taking cues from the surrounding community's cultural heritage, the marquee, box offices, snack bar and landscaping were set to be remodeled with an "Old California, Orange Ranch" theme. The audience appreciated these improvements, and turned out in record numbers.īeginning in 2007 the old Van Buren was given a new image. Then, the lots were repaved and the screens repainted. First, the latest drive-in theatre technology including FM transmitters and Technalight, the state-of-the-art projection system was installed. In 2006 when real estate development fell through, the Van Buren's owners decided to invest in a long postponed remodeling project. ![]() Although the Van Buren was never forced to close, because it has always been popular, 40 years of continuous operation did result in some despair. Like most drive-ins, the Van Buren was not built to last more than a decade before it was redeveloped, for a higher value, in the booming Southern California real estate market. Built on the site of a former orange ranch, the theatre was expanded to three screens in 1975. ![]() The Van Buren Drive-in Theatre, named for its location on Van Buren Blvd in the historic Arlington district of Riverside, California, opened in 1964 with a single screen. Now there just over 400 drive-ins in the country, but those remaining have a dedicated following of devoted fans, who love their movies outdoors in a pleasant, family friendly setting. But television, indoor theatre multiplexes and soaring real estate values saw to the decline of the drive-in, beginning the late 1970s. Its successful debut prompted others to follow, and by the mid 1950s drive-ins numbered well over 4,000, some of which held room for over three thousand cars. From humble beginnings in Depression-era New Jersey to the unprecedented national phenomenon that became a definitive icon of an entire generation, the drive-in theater brought together two of the greatest American passions: the automobile and the movies.Īuto parts salesman Richard Hollingshead opened the world's first Drive-in Theatre in Camden, New Jersey on June 6th, 1933. ![]() Outside of movies, the drive-in theater also hosts game nights where you can play Just Dance, Mario Kart and more on the big screen.Few things say America more than apple pie, barbeques on the Fourth of July and drive-in movies. Where the original 1948 screen stood is a new screen with movie showings on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at dusk. With a short season leading it to close for the winter, it is officially open again for the 2022 summer season! Octomarked the re-opening of the Van Buren Drive-In. ![]() Vandalized Concessions / Photo courtesy of the Van Buren Drive-In Theater & Activities Center Tornado Damage / Photo courtesy of the Van Buren Drive-In Theater & Activities Center While many would be deterred by this, one couple, Dan & Gina Beckley, we’re determined to return the drive-in theater to its former glory. After seeing a decline with the change in technology, the Van Buren Drive-In came to a stall, closing its doors in 1991.Īs one could imagine after years of neglect, the Van Buren Drive-In became overgrown, vandalized and torn apart by a tornado that passed through the region in 2011. At the time, it held a capacity of 850 cars spreading almost 15 acres of parking area, making it one of the biggest drive-in theaters in its day. The Van Buren Drive-In was built in 1948 and officially opened to the public on July 15, 1949. Original Program from 1949 / Photo courtesy of the Van Buren Drive-In Theater & Activities Center
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