Harrisburg Drive-In

6100 Allentown Boulevard,
Harrisburg, PA 17112

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dallasmovietheaters
dallasmovietheaters on August 17, 2024 at 6:09 pm

Closed permanently following a double feature of “Summer School” and “Back to the Beach” on September 6, 1987.

rivest266
rivest266 on May 27, 2024 at 10:14 am

Last season: 1987.

rivest266
rivest266 on May 26, 2024 at 5:31 am

It opened on May 29th, 1950. Grand opening ad posted.

DavidKehler
DavidKehler on October 26, 2020 at 10:15 pm

I grew up less than a mile from the Harrisburg Drive-In and saw a huge number of movies there. I also played on the swings in the daytime. My parents would take me in our car, and there were typically double features. The films would often be a few years old, but we didn’t mind. The refreshment stand snacks were yummy, and the theater promoted the refreshment stand aggressively. The speakers that provided the in-car sound weren’t the greatest, but they were functional. One of the main promotions was $1 a carload night. As a kid just walking to a spot at the back of the lot to see a movie without paying, I recall usually being chased out of there a lot by the management. With this coronavirus horror, I wish that drive-ins would make a comeback.

Ross Care
Ross Care on February 28, 2018 at 5:11 pm

I wish someone could find a photo.

dallasmovietheaters
dallasmovietheaters on August 25, 2015 at 12:54 pm

Launched June 2, 1950 by Thomas and Paul Kerrigan who were also debuting their Hi-Way Drive-In in Frackville, PA at the same time.

Lori1113
Lori1113 on March 21, 2014 at 6:57 pm

I have fond memories of this Drive In. My parents took all of us to this drive in, in the 50s. My sisters & brothers & myself used to love playing on the swings which were right under the screen. I later went on dates that took me there in the 60s. I also enjoyed the Flea Market they had there on Sundays. I wish it was still there. I would be taking my Grandchildren. Karns Market sits there now, along with a bank, a Burger King and a few other stores. I miss the good old days.

Ross Care
Ross Care on March 5, 2010 at 6:45 pm

PS: Click on ads to ENLARGE.

Ross Care
Ross Care on March 5, 2010 at 6:43 pm

Ads for the Harrisburg and Keystone Drive-Ins, both showing CinemaScope films: View link

carolgrau
carolgrau on March 5, 2010 at 5:05 pm

They do they are the Kerrigan brothers,, a nice bunch of people.. I was a projectionist when thier father ran the theatre, then they leased it to UA, until the sons took it back Great booth XLs and Strong Futura II lamps RCA sound and a huge generator that sounded like a plane taking off when you started it….

muviebuf
muviebuf on March 5, 2010 at 4:03 pm

Actually in this case the land was never sold for development of a shopping center. Instead the owners of the drive-in developed the shopping center themselves and I believe those fellows still own and manage that shopping center today.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on March 5, 2010 at 3:34 pm

This Drive-in parked 6oo CARS and was owned by R.Corporation in 1956.

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on March 5, 2010 at 9:34 am

Very true John.

1posterfan4sure
1posterfan4sure on March 5, 2010 at 9:28 am

That was a good, clean, well-run drive-in and was open year-round with first-run movies in the 1960s and 70s. I remember seeing “Summer of ‘42” there in January, using one of their in-car heaters. And the flea market was huge, a good Sunday afternoon use of all that land. I recall when that drive-in was really out in the middle of nowhere with hardly any development out that far on 22. Now the retail zone extends way beyond where the drive-in once stood. When the drive-in was built the land must have been dirt cheap. By the time they got around to selling the land it must have been worth a fortune. Land value and the VCR spelled the end of many a drive-in around 1985 or 86.