After months of uncertainty, the Family Drive-In is officially making a comeback.
On March 4, the drive-in posted a video on Facebook confirming it’s reopening. In January, the Winchester Star reported that the new owner of 10.6-acre property, a local who grew up going to the drive in, intended to keep the drive-in in business.
“I believe our Christmas miracle has come true,” a Family Drive-In staff member says in the video. “We all wished for it, and we’ve been praying really hard about keeping the drive-in alive. And I believe that our miracle has truly come to life. We’ll be happy to see each and every one of you here in the spring, because we’re opening back up. We’re surprised and happy about it, and we can’t wait to see all of you guys under the stars once more here at the Family Drive-In theater in Stephens City.”
The drive in will reopen on April 3 with a showing of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which is scheduled to be released on April 1.
In August, the Family Drive-In confirmed that the property had been listed for sale for $1.5 million. By September, fundraising efforts began to try and purchase the land and keep the historic drive-in open. Even though more than $28,000 was raised, the effort came up short. The drive-in announced it was closing at the end of November.
The money that was donated during the fundraising efforts last fall will used be to make improvements to the drive-in.
The Family Drive-In, which will be celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, is one of only six drive-ins remaining in Virginia.
Feature image courtesy of Family Drive-In
