Shankweiler’s, America’s oldest drive-in movie theatre, founded in 1934, is celebrating its 90th anniversary in April. Matthew McClanahan and Lauren McChesney, the current owners of the theatre, will be hosting a celebration of the anniversary. Shankweiler’s originally opened on April 15 1934 and the anniversary festivities will be held on Saturday April 13.
Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theatre is located in Orefield, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1934 by Wilson Shankweiler. The second drive-in ever to be built, Shankweiler’s now holds a Guinness World Record as the oldest operating drive-in theatre in the world. Shankweiler’s became one of the first drive-in theatres to broadcast movie audio via FM broadcast stereo in 1986 and converted to digital cinema in 2014.
The theatre was sold to its fourth set of owners, McClanahan, and McChesney of The Moving Picture Cinema in 2022.
One major highlight of the celebration will be a re-enactment of the drive-in’s earliest days. Often described as “a bedsheet hung between two poles,” the drive-in initially began as a do-it-yourself venture behind Wilson Shankweiler’s popular restaurant and inn. The re-enactment will also feature period-specific vehicles provided by The NB Center of American Automotive Heritage in Allentown.
“It’s a huge honor to be a part of such a significant milestone, not just for Shankweiler’s but for drive-ins around the world,” says McClanahan. “This anniversary is a celebration of the theatre’s rich history, but it also marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter as we continue to evolve and innovate.”
Shankweiler’s Drive-In www.shankweilers.com