Tuesday, August 19, 2008

The Port Elmsley Drive-in

Are you old enough to remember going to the drive-in theater? Most of the drive-ins have shut down in the last couple of decades. Here in Ottawa there used to be one in the Bayshore area but it was torn down to build the Coliseum multiplex theatre.

Recently this summer we went to the Port Elmsley drive-in. It is located between Smiths Falls and Perth. After 55 years it is still in operation.

The sound comes through your FM radio so you don't have to worry about driving away and ripping out the speaker in the window like the old days. They have a snack bar with drinks, candy, popcorn, fries, burgers, etc. They even show retro drive-in commercials during intermission. The place has a family atmosphere -- the owner gets on the audio to announce the night's movies or even comment on the film during intermission.

The night we went there was a triple bill showing Wall-E, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Hancock. Most of the people there were families with young kids. There is a playground for the kids to enjoy before the movie starts. There was some rain during the second film but it didn't dampen our spirits.

We left after the first two movies because we had an hour drive home and it was just getting too late for us old folks. We had a great time!

If you live in Eastern Ontario, it makes a great outing for a summer evening. Check it out, but get there early if you want a good spot!

The web site is http://www.portelmsleydrivein.com/

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