The Mahoning Drive-In Theater is a

drive-in A drive-in is a facility (such as a restaurant or movie theater) where one can drive in with an automobile for service. At a drive-in restaurant, for example, customers park their vehicles and are usually served by staff who walk or rollerskat ...

theater located in

Lehighton, Pennsylvania Lehighton () is a borough in Carbon County, Pennsylvania. It is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Lehighton is located northwest of Allentown and northwest of Philadelphia. Due in part to water power from the Lehigh River, Lehighton was an e ...

, along Route 443. Opened in 1949, the Mahoning was one of many drive-in theaters that became popular in the United States following

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. Attendance at the Mahoning waned by 2014, but the theater has since gained a resurgence in popularity due to the management's decision to screen primarily older

cult film A cult film or cult movie, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase which forms an elaborate subculture, members of which engage ...

s and

B movie A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feature ...

s rather than newer releases. It is the last remaining drive-in theater in the US to screen films in 35 mm every weekend. In July 2021, it was announced that the theater would be demolished and replaced by a

solar farm Solar may refer to: Astronomy * Of or relating to the Sun ** Solar telescope, a special purpose telescope used to observe the Sun ** A device that utilizes solar energy (e.g. "solar panels") ** Solar calendar, a calendar whose dates indicate t ...

. Following an outpouring of community support, the plans have been put on hold.

History

The Mahoning Drive-In Theater opened in 1949, amidst a wave of drive-in theaters that became popular in the US after World War II. According to Gene DeSantis, the theater's manager circa 1988, the first film screened at the Mahoning was 1948's '' April Showers''. Though drive-in attendance declined across the country with the advent of multiplex theaters in the 1970s and 1980s, the Mahoning remained in operation. However, by 2014, the Mahoning had seen a significant decline in attendance, sometimes with as few as 10 cars per show.

Projectionist A projectionist is a person who operates a movie projector, particularly as an employee of a movie theater. Projectionists are also known as "operators". Historical background N.B. The dates given in the subject headings are approximate. Early ...

Jeff Mattox (who started working at the Mahoning in 2001) decided, at the suggestion of then-volunteer employees Virgil Cardamone and Matt McClanahan, that the Mahoning would screen primarily older

s and

s, as opposed to newer releases. The decision proved successful, and attendance at the Mahoning soon rose in accordance with the addition of

Exhumed Films Exhumed Films is an American "organization devoted to showing horror movies for the benefit of their fans." History Based in Philadelphia, Exhumed Films was founded in 1997 by Dan Fraga, Joseph A. Gervasi, Harry Guerro and Jesse Nelson to exhibit ...

themed programs like the recurring "Zombie Fest"—a marathon of films featuring zombies—and "Camp Blood"—a marathon of

horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...

s set at

summer camp A summer camp or sleepaway camp is a supervised program for children conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as ''campers''. Summer school is usually a part of the academ ...

s. Films are commonly shown as double or triple features at the Mahoning, and are often accompanied by screenings of older

movie trailer A trailer (also known as a preview, coming attraction or attraction video) is a commercial advertisement, originally for a feature film that is going to be exhibited in the future at a movie theater/cinema. It is a product of creative and techni ...

s, other vintage advertisements, and themed sets and costumes by volunteer James T. Mills. The Mahoning has gone on to host events for

Shudder Shudder may refer to: *Shivering * ''Shudder'' (album), a 2008 album by American band Bayside *Shudder (streaming service) Shudder is an American over-the-top subscription video on demand service featuring horror, thriller and supernatural fic ...

Joe Bob Briggs John Irving Bloom (born January 27, 1953), known by the stage name Joe Bob Briggs, is an American syndicated film critic, writer, actor, and comic performer. He is known for having hosted ''Joe Bob's Drive-in Theater'' on The Movie Channel fro ...

, and

Troma Entertainment Troma Entertainment is an American independent film production and distribution company founded by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz in 1974. The company produces low-budget independent films, primarily of the horror comedy genre. Many of them pla ...

. On July 13, 2021, it was announced that the land on which the theater is situated was optioned by a

solar power Solar power is the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV) or indirectly using concentrated solar power. Photovoltaic cells convert light into an electric current using the photovoltaic e ...

company, Greenskies Clean Energy LLC, which plans to demolish the Mahoning (including its screen and marquee) and to construct a

in its place. Following an outpouring of community support, the plans have been put on hold.

References

External links

* {{Official website, https://www.mahoningdit.com/ Drive-in theaters in the United States Cinemas and movie theaters in Pennsylvania 1949 establishments in Pennsylvania Carbon County, Pennsylvania