Idan-ha Drive-In
187 W. Second South Street,
Soda Springs,
ID
83276
187 W. Second South Street,
Soda Springs,
ID
83276
2 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Functions: Movies (First Run)
Previous Names: Dawn-A-Vu Drive-In
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
208.540.2979
Nearby Theaters
The Dawn-A-Vu Drive-In was opened in May 1956 when it was operated by Donald Mendenhall. In the late-1970’s it was renamed Idan-ha Drive-In. Jeff and Shauna Bowen, who also run the indoor Idan-ha Theatre on Main Street, operate this drive-in, which is open during the summer months. It announced it is not opening for the 2025 season.
Contributed by
Ron Pierce
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Recent comments (view all 10 comments)
Here are some photos:
http://tinyurl.com/ozywt
http://tinyurl.com/gy797
http://tinyurl.com/lpswu
This may be closed. The website no longer works. Hunzeker Ford is taking up part of the lot. The screen and snack bar are still there.
BTW: Address above is incorrect. Approx. address is west of downtown @ 166 West 2nd South.
Both theaters are still open, but the website remains down. They do have a Facebook page though for movie listings, it appears the drive-in has been a single feature only for years. In 2010, Jeff & Shauna Bowen sold the property to Craig Davis, but continue to operate both theaters. Thyy have signed up for the Honda Projectdrivein competition for a new projector. As well as setting up their own Save The Drive-In fundraiser to keep it from closing.
The Idan-ha Drive-In is no longer listed on the Idan-ha Theatre Facebook page or their website. The phone is no longer in service either.
The Idan-Ha was open for the 2014-2016 seasons, about mid-May through August. See its week-by-week notes on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IdanHaDriveinTheatre/
When did it open? The Dawn-A-Vu was listed through the 1976 IMPAs, and my next copy, 1982, shows the Idan-Ha. A 2013 article in the Idaho State Business Journal claimed “The Idan-Ha Drive-In has been a part of Soda Springs for nearly 60 years,” so I’m guessing that the Dawn-A-Vu changed its name in the late 1970s.
Clever name!!
My guess was just verified by a note from the current Idan-Ha crew. “I am uncertain when the name changed but I thought that it happened when Owen owned it in the 80’s.” Since it’s in the 1982 IMPA, the name change probably happened around 1980, give or take a year.
Hey, this drive-in wasn’t “closed in 2014” and should be marked as open now. (Seasonal, of course.) It’s showing the latest Spider-Man installment tonight. Check its Facebook page.
Boxoffice, May 19, 1956: “SODA SPRINGS, IDA. - The lights are on and the boxoffice is open at the Dawn-A-Vu outdoor theatre here. Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Mendenhall, owners and operators of the theatre, say show time is around 7:45 p.m.”
The Idan-Ha Drive-in is not opening for 2025:
Soda Springs, ID: Idan-Ha Drive-in Not Reopening for 2025 Season [May 9, 2025]