Summer at the Drive-In
Nostalgia or Common Sense?
Staff Writer
There is something special about going to the drive-in movies; it has been apart of Americana for the past 70 plus years. My father can remember fondly about my grandmother popping pop corn in the kitchen, then getting my dad in his Pajama's and into their 1944 blue 2-Door Plymouth station wagon so they can go to the Elvis double feature at the Sunset Drive- In Theater in Factoria. My father and other pajama dressed kids would play on the playground area before the show. Once dusk hit, he would scamper back to the station wagon where my grandmother would be waiting for him with Milk Duds and the fresh popped buttery popcorn they made earlier only to make it through the first feature then to fall asleep when the second one started.
This was in the 1950's, and during the 50's and 60's is when the popularity of Drive-Ins hit its peak. Going to the Drive-In movies was a good way for a family to enjoy an affordable night at the movies together, or for those frisky teenagers, going to the Drive-In was a good excuse to fog up the windows and make out with each other in the back seat of an automobile that someone borrowed from their parents for the night.
Due to a vast number of entertainment options, the invention of cable TV, and especially the high value of the real estate those Drive- Ins were occupying, forced many Drive-Ins to cease business (the Sunset Drive-In Theater is now occupied by the Factoria Mall). The only Drive-In that was in the Seattle City Limits is now occupied by a Sam's Club on 135th and Aurora. This was called the American Drive-In (closed in 1983), and my parents took me there to see E.T. when it first came out, which I still vaguely remember bits and pieces of. Of the 42 Drive-In Theaters that were in Western Washington, only 6 remain and are in operation.
One of those remaining relicts of the past is Puget Park Drive-In, which is off of I-5 on 128th in South Everett. Besides running as a theater on summer nights, it also acts as a swap meet during the day.
My girlfriend and I decided to venture on up to South Everett to take in the double feature of Cars and X-Men III, two movies that I have wanted to see for awhile. We called the information line to see what time the movies started. One of the many unique things about the Drive-Ins, especially when it comes down to other entertainment options, is that there is no specific starting time; it's dictated by Mother Nature as the starting time is dusk.
After referring to the Farmer's Almanac to check to see when dusk was, we decided that it was best to get there about an hour before dusk, which was a good call because the place was somewhat full as we pulled in around 8pm. Had we arrived around 8:30, we probably would've had a real bad spot, or not allowed to enter at all.
Being a poor college student, I'm always looking for a way to maximize my dollar when it comes down to entertainment options. In this case, it cost only $6.50 for each person for both movies, plus the cost of the sandwiches, drinks, and snacks that we brought in ourselves.
Because we got to the Drive-In at a reasonable time, we were able to get a perfect spot, right in the middle of the lot and in the center of the screen. Families with children dressed in their pajamas, were getting ready for the show by playing or bundling up in their little nest in the back of their parents van or car. It's easy to make new friends because everyone is close to you.
We sat down in our lawn seats that we brought and starting munching on the food that we brought. I would recommend bringing some cards or something to keep you busy, it was nearly two hours from arrival to when the show started.
To kill some time, I decided to go to the snack shop. I walked in and the first thing that greeted me was the smell of that fresh popped popcorn. Its typical theater fare inside the shop: popcorn, candy, pop, pizza, hot dogs. They even had a BBQ going right outside just in case anyone was craving a burger or two. The prices were reasonable, slightly less expensive than going to the theater, but I would still recommend buying your goodies at the store.
The show started around 10pm, and my car radio was dialed into the FM station that the show was playing on. I looked around and I saw parents passing down the tradition of going to the Drive-In to their children. The was sun setting to the northwest with its tiny bit of orange glow remaining, and with the stars overhead and the warm breeze circling us while under and old, comfortable blanket, I thought to myself, “there's no other place I'd rather be”.
We headed out after the first feature because it was getting late, the show ended around midnight. As we left, we noticed cars waiting to get in to see the second feature. If you're ever up for a late night movie and want something different to do, I would recommend going to the Drive-In, they let cars in to see the second feature. If not, going to the Drive-In movies is a great, inexpensive summer time activity, and it's a chance to be a part of a long running American tradition.
The Puget Park Drive-In runs through September, check your local newspaper for shows or call the Puget Park Info line at 425-338-5957.
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