Photo Courtesy of Motor Vu Drive-in
Story by Maudie Heard
From classical films to adventures to animations under the night stars, a movie at the Motor Vu Drive-in is a must-add to your summer bucket list.
“It really is something special to sit outside under the beautiful Idaho night sky when the weather is warm but the night is a little cool,” Jennifer Spalding, co-director of Motor Vu Drive-in said. “And to watch a movie with all these other people, it feels really magical.”
For over 75 years, Motor Vu Drive-in has been an iconic destination for families, friends and couples in Idaho Falls. Once one of thousands of drive-in theaters across the country is now one of just seven in the state of Idaho, and this one happens to be right here in our city.
Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night, the theater streams double features, offering families a variety of cinema entertainment.
“Going to the drive-in is something that every family should experience,” Jennifer said. “There’s less than 300 drive-in movie theaters across the entire United States, so it’s rare for people to be able to have this experience.”
For decades, families, couples and friends have been creating unforgettable and magical moments at drive-in theaters.
The experience at the drive-in begins as soon as you pull in to find a place to park. The aroma from the concession stand fills your nose with delicious popcorn, hot dogs and other snacks. Families can spend time together enjoying comfort food while the sun sets and the stars begin to shine.
The movie starts rolling with remarkable quality. In recent years, Motor Vu invested in a 4K RGB laser projector. “It’s the highest quality projector of any drive-in theater in Idaho. It’s phenomenal,” Jennifer said. “The picture is incredible.”
Through many upgrades and renovations, the theater is something special to experience and its slice of nostalgia is still felt.
“We work every off-season to improve the facilities and make the drive-in experience even better than you remember. Our mission is to bring our community together through the magic of movies,” Linda Rumsey, owner of Motor Vu Drive-in said. “We can’t wait to have people back at the drive-in for films under the stars.”
The drive-in theater season began in late May and will continue until Aug. 26 with many exciting events. On July 4, the theater hosts an Independence Day celebration with bouncy houses and train rides during the day and a big firework show at night. At the end of the season, the theater will host a community party where visitors can come and watch a movie for free.
Another highly anticipated event the theater hosts is ‘Scream on Screen Spectacular,’ where the theater hosts two nights of scary films the weekend before Halloween.
“You can come out early, have a hamburger, a hotdog, a bowl of chili, some nachos and hang out, have some dinner, enjoy the day into the evening and see some really great movies,” Jennifer said. “It’s something people should really make an effort to visit and experience, and by visiting, you help keep drive-ins alive and we want to make sure that drive-ins are in existence for as long as possible.”
Tickets are available to purchase at the Motor Vu Drive-in location or online. For more information, visit www.idahomotorvu.com or Motor Vu Drive-in in Idaho Falls on Facebook.