MUSKEGON, Mich. — "It's the best day of the year," said Emily Loeks, Director of Community Affairs for Celebration! Cinema.
The Getty Drive-In in Muskegon is open for the season. This one is extra special, though, as it celebrates a major milestone — its 80th anniversary!
A lot has changed along that timeline, both in regard to the drive-in itself and the movie industry.
Drive-in theaters peaked in popularity during the 1950s. At that time, there were more than 4,000 nationwide.
Today, there are only 300 left. The Getty Drive-In is just one of nine remaining drive-in theaters in Michigan.
Loeks said the Getty is the only one that has four screens.
It didn't start out that way though.
Back in the 1960s, before Loeks was born, her grandpa Jack bought three Muskegon-area drive-ins. The other two have closed, or been adapted into actual movie theaters. The Getty is the only one still standing.
Kevin Sims, who just retired after working at the Getty for 40 years, holding the position of General Manager since he was 26, has seen all the changes.
"This originally was a one-screen drive-in when it opened up decades ago," he said. "It was called the NK Drive-In. Then, 45 years ago, they built three additional screens here. That's where it became the Getty 4 Drive-In.”
Many other aspects are different, such as the way people can listen to the movies from the way, and the way the movies are projected onto the screens, but the drive-in experience has stayed the same.
"This is more of a family event," Sims said. "Now, it's like a mini vacation, where mom and dad and the three kids bring their blankets, their camping chairs, maybe their cornhole, Frisbee and turn into a night of fun.”
Loeks added, "My kids will spend a whole day preparing the car. That's part of the activity, you know. You pack it out with the pillows and the blankets in the camp chairs, and even the hammocks that we string between two cars that are parked side by side. That's half of the experience. It's a tailgater at the movies."
For movie times and tickets, you can visit the Getty Drive-In's website here.