The Skowhegan Drive-In Will Open in May, But Needs Help For a Full Season

Maine is on the verge of losing another drive-in movie theater unless the 2023 season sees enough movie-goers to remain open.

The Skowhegan Drive-In originally opened in 1954 and has managed to survive the downturn in the business for drive-in theaters that have been going on since the popularity of the VCR and movie rental stores in the 1980s. Those that remained in the 21st century had to buy costly digital projectors as movie studios transitioned away from the use of film.

The business got a small boost during the COVID-19 pandemic when indoor movie theaters were shut down and the only place you could go out and see a movie was with your family in your car at the drive-in.

But the pandemic also had a negative effect on the drive-in as studios released movies onto their streaming platforms directly, rather than in theaters, hoping to boost subscriptions since ticket sales were down sharply.

Needless to say, it's been a rough go for drive-in theaters like the Skowhegan Drive-in.

In a post on the Skowhegan Drive-In's Facebook page, on March 2, it was announced that an opening was planned for May after there being doubts they would open for their 70th season:

In an effort to preserve operations at the Skowhegan Drive-In Theatre as well as to find new ownership for the facility in the months ahead, it has been decided that the drive-in will reopen, probably sometime in early May. How long the season continues will depend upon how long business is maintained at sustainable levels, and that depends upon you! - Skowhegan Drive-in via Facebook

So if you still want to spend your summers watching movies on the really big screen, you're asked to show your support for the Skowhegan Drive-In. The more people that go to movies, the better the chances the drive-in will be bought and continue to be a vital part of Skowhegan and the surrounding communities.