Drive-ins pull up to their spot as reopenings go forward
Social distancing at concession stands part of sites’ new world.
Along with many other local businesses throughout the Miami Valley, one Dayton-area drive-in opened its doors to the public this week.
The Dixie Twin Drive-In movie theater in Harrison Twp. reopened for a new season of drive-in fun Tuesday, a few days after Gov. Mike DeWine announced that thousands of retail stores, restaurants, bars, salons and all other nonessential businesses would be reopening in the coming weeks. To date, there has been no plan announced concerning the fate of other movie theaters.
To keep their employees and guests safe amid the coronavirus pandemic, the owners of the Dixie Twin Drive-In have put certain precautions — temporary, it is hoped — in place.
Concession stands, for example, are open, though the theater encourages patrons to remain six feet away from one another by putting down pieces of tape for social distancing in the concession stand lines and bathrooms.
“We love having a venue for people to safely practice social distancing, and we will continue to uphold these regulations,” the Dixie’s management said in a statement. “We are taking this very seriously and are taking all the necessary precautions to maintain a safe and healthy environment for our visitors and employees, so if you are planning on visiting, please continue to practice social distancing.”
Employees are required to wear face coverings, wash their hands frequently and keep six feet apart from one another while working
in the ticket booth and concession stand.
Customers who head to the theater tonight and Saturday will be able to catch a special screening of “The Vast of Night,” an Amazon Studios film about strange signals. (Only one movie is playing that night.)
Set in 1950s New Mexico, “The Vast of Night” follows switchboard operator Fay (played by Sierra McCormick) and radio D J Everett (played by Jake Horowitz) as they discover a strange audio frequency that could change their small town forever.
Director Andrew Patterson makes his feature film directorial debut in this film that unfolds as a narrative scavenger hunt through dropped phone calls, AM radio signals, secret reels of tape forgotten in a library, switchboards, crossed patchlines and an anonymous phone call.
“The Vast of Night” will play from 9:30 to 11 p.m. on both screens in the outdoor theater. Customers will tune into 107.3 FM for the normal viewing and 105.3 FM for the open caption viewing on the second screen. Admission will be just 50 cents per person to watch the film.
On Sunday, the Dixie Twin Drive-In theater will be showing on Screen 1 “Trolls World Tour” from 9:10-10:45 p.m. and “Dolittle” from 11 p.m. to 12:40 a.m. Featured on Screen 2 will be “The Invisible Man” from 9:15-11:20 p.m., and “The Hunt” from 11:35 a.m. to 1:05 a.m.
Admission for these movies is:
■ Adults (13 and up): $10 ■ Children (12 and under): $5
■ Children (4 and under): free
■ Military discount: $1 The Paris Flea Market, an outdoor market held on the grounds of the drive-in theater every Sunday morning, is set to officially reopen at 6 a.m. May 17.
The Dixie Twin Drive-In movie theater is at 6201 N. Dixie Drive in Harrison Twp. For more information, pay a visit to dixietwin.com or the theater’s Facebook page.
Other local drive-ins
Holiday Auto Theatre: at 1816 Old Oxford Road in Hamilton reopened earlier this month. Currently, movies are showing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, though the owner hopes to open the theater on weeknights soon. Find more information about admission and what movies are playing at www.holidayautotheatre.com.
The Melody 49 Drive-In: at 7606 Pleasant-Plain Road in Brookville has not yet reopened for the season. A post on the theater’s Facebook page encourages customers to check back soon for details on its plans to reopen.