The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Drive-in theaters experience revival
Cars must abide by certain regulations, but can still watch movies.
TIGER, Ga. – Hours before the movie starts, the vehicles started rumbling into the terraced lawn across from Tiger’s city hall: Aging station wagons packed with kids, ruby-red pickup trucks with jacked-up tailgates, sporty hatchbacks with room for blankets in the back.
The northeast Georgia city at the base of a mountain is home to about 400 people, but every weekend the population swells as hundreds flock to the Tiger Drive-In — part of a revival of theaters seen as safe havens for movie lovers during the pandemic.
Thanks to the newfound interest, some of these relics of Americana are now exploring other options to attract socialdistancing newcomers, such as hosting live music bands, family reunions and school ceremonies, to fill the vacuum left by economic restrictions.
The owner of Tiger’s theater, Tom Major, can be partially credited with the pandemic-era boom in drive-in customers in Georgia. After Gov. Brian Kemp’s executive order in early April shuttered all theaters, he appealed to local officials close to the governor to make an exception for drive-ins.
He was planning to screen the movie “Avatar” for some family members in the spacious field on April 18 when he got word his appeal worked: The governor sent a tweet that clarified drivein movie theaters can open if they take certain additional precautions.
Major alerted his handful of employees to return and, hours later, his drivein was flooded with cars, each parked about 20 feet from each other to abide by safety regulations.
He pulled an all-nighter answering more than 400 Facebook questions, many from theater buffs eager to return. These days, his drive-in’s grassy lot is filled with license plates from Gainesville,
Athens, metro Atlanta and North Carolina to catch mostly B-list flicks.
“We’ve been sold out most every night. It’s funny – we don’t have any great movies. They’ve all been delayed until later this year,” he said. “But we’re probably doing better with a limited audience than we did last year.”
Not all drive-ins have flung their gates open. An industry clearinghouse, driveinmovie.com, estimates that dozens of drive-in theaters around the nation remained closed, though some are preparing to resume operations with limited concessions and amenities.
The handful of drive-ins in Georgia are reporting brisk business. The Starlight Drive-In in southeast Atlanta reopened in late April, and an adjoining flea market followed suit in May. The Swan Drive-In, located in Blue Ridge, is showing family-friendly double features to a large audience every weekend.
This weekend, the Swan will offer a free double-feature to celebrate owner Steve Setser’s grandson’s graduation from the local high school. On the big screen are classic coming-of-age flicks: “Grease” and “American Graffiti.”
“There are a lot of people coming out who have been confined — they’re ready to get out and they’re appreciative that we’re getting them the option,” said Setser, who hired additional secu