Posted in Pennsylvania April 20, 2020 by Beth Price-Williams

One Of The Oldest Drive-In Theaters In The U.S., Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theatre In Pennsylvania Is Now 86 Years Old

Remember the good old days when summer nights meant going to our local drive-in? We’d park our car, drop a blanket on the ground, and toss a Frisbee in the hours or the minutes leading up to the start of a double-feature. What would an evening at the drive-in be without multiple trips to the snack bar, too? If it’s been too long since you’ve been to the drive-in, you’ll definitely want to check out Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theatre in Pennsylvania.

Generations of Pennsylvanians have pulled into Shankweiler's Drive-In, in Orefield, on balmy summer evenings for a double feature under the stars.

The popular drive-in holds rank as the oldest drive-in in Pennsylvania *and* in the United States, tallying 86 consecutive seasons.

Opened by Wilson Shankweiler in April 1934, the drive-in was the first in Pennsylvania. Within a quarter of a century, the United States would be home to more than 4,000 drive-ins.

Shankweiler's has grown with the times - starting with car speakers in 1948 to installing digital sound and projection equipment in 2013.

However, the drive-in's history hasn't been without some tragedy. The screen and projection booth, for example, were destroyed during Hurricane Diane in 1955.

That lead to the construction of a new drive-in that included a brand new screen, a projection room, a snack bar, and restrooms.

Today, a ticket gets you a parking spot, a double feature, and a ton of fun. The historic drive-in also features a snack bar. There, you can order such goodies as hot dogs, popcorn, and funnel cakes.

Click here for the official website of Shankweiler's Drive-In Theatre. Or, go here for Facebook.

Do you have a favorite drive-in theatre in Pennsylvania? Tell us about it in the comments! Did you know that PA is also home to a drive-in theatre that allows you to camp out? Check out The Mahoning Drive-In in Lehighton.

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Address: Shankweiler's Drive-In Theatre, 4540 Shankweiler Rd, Orefield, PA 18069, USA

One Of The Oldest Drive-In Theaters In The U.S., Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theatre In Pennsylvania Is Now 86 Years Old

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