Looking for a fun night out under the stars? A drive-in movie is perfect for your group of friends, large or small families, or even a date night when you need something to do. The closest drive-in movie theater is in Orefield, Pennsylvania, just 40 minutes away from Perkasie, and is called Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theater. As you arrive, you stay in your car as you approach the ticket window and pay one ticket per person for both movies. It is $11 per adult and only $7 per child. This ticket allows you to stay for both of the movies that are playing that night. Shankweiler’s is only open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. The showtimes of these movies are ever-changing. The showtime is determined depending on the time the sun will set. The beauty of it all is that you don’t have to stay and watch both movies. You can come for just one if you’d like! Maddie Pollock, a student at Pennridge, says, “The showtimes that later have a better experience since it’s more fun because it’s later at night.” All you do is pull past the ticket window and park anywhere in the wide-open, grass lot, and get comfortable. The movies that are played are specifically just movies that are new and in a theater. The only time they aren’t new movies is if they are playing holiday specials. For example, my friends and I went to Shankweiler’s in the fall and saw Beetle Juice and Nightmare before Christmas. The movies can range anywhere from G-rated to R-rated. Normally, the first movie is more geared towards a younger crowd/ G or PG rated and the second movie can get more explicit as the general crowd for the second movie is of an older age. The movie is projected onto a huge screen in the front of the lot. How to get the sound is quite interesting. All you must do is tune to 90.7 FM either on your car radio or a handheld radio, then you’re all set. This way you have the option to either sit inside of your car or bring some lawn chairs and sit out on the grass.

A few of my friends and I were able to visit last weekend. The first movie was at 8:15. A few of us had a game that night so, unfortunately, we could not make it to the first movie. However, we were able to see the second movie: Godzilla Vs. Kong. It was a bit of a chilly night, but we were able to all sit out on the grass. Maddie Pollock thinks this is the best part of the experience as she quotes, “I like sitting outside and watching the movies.” It gives much more of a summery feel when you get to sit outside instead of a theater with a bunch of little kids running around and popcorn all over the floor. Going along with this idea of being outside with nature instead of in the actual theater, Blake Stewart, another senior at Pennridge notices, “just the atmosphere and how different it is, plus the aesthetic of it all.” He also notes, “I think you’re really paying for the experience that it is giving you rather than the movie.” So, next time your friends are looking to get out of our small town, take a quick trip to Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theater!