Midway Drive-in Theatre (Demolished)
Kent, WA
Photo courtesy Mike

Check out the Midway Drive-in Theatre of Kent, WA which opened in 1940. Though this ozoner is now defunct, the Midway was once a fun place for a family, dates, or even passing by travelers to grab a flick under the stars.

The screen tower and the marquee were once sights to see for the roadside traveler. The Midway was located along Route 99.

UPDATE: My Dad, Frank Wilson, just retired from 30 years of managing the Midway Drive In and Swap Meet in Kent Washington. On the 25th of September 2005 the Midway closed its doors for the last time. I worked for my Dad for over 20 year at the Midway, it's sad to see it go. More photos of the Midway are below. Many thanks to Troy Wilson for update. 10-05

Midway Drive-in Theatre
Kent, WA
Photos courtesy Troy Wilson

See more photos of the Midway Drive-in Theatre at Roadside Peek's Lost Treasures Feature on the Midway.

Rodeo Drive-in Theatre
Bremerton, WA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The evening really begins the moment you pull beneath the Rodeo Drive-In Theatre marquee. Long before the movie starts, there's a feeling that you've arrived somewhere special. Three giant screens stretch across the property, cars slowly make their way to favorite parking spots, and families wander toward the snack bar while the last bit of daylight hangs over the Olympic Peninsula. It's the kind of place that reminds you why drive-ins became such a big part of American summers. 07-08

The Rodeo first opened in 1949 as Rodeo Motor Movies, back when outdoor theaters were appearing all over the country. While most have long since disappeared, the Rodeo never lost its place on the roadside. Instead, it continued welcoming moviegoers year after year, becoming part of countless family traditions along the way.

Rodeo Drive-in Theatre
Bremerton, WA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Originally built with a single screen, the theater expanded to three screens in 1978, allowing visitors to choose from several first-run movies on the same evening. Despite the growth, the place still feels like a neighborhood drive-in rather than a modern entertainment complex. That's part of its charm. The extra screens offer more choices, but they never take away from the relaxed pace that makes an evening here so enjoyable.

One of the nicest things about the Rodeo is that nobody seems to be in much of a hurry. People arrive well before showtime, giving themselves plenty of time to grab something from the snack bar, visit with friends, or simply sit outside the car and enjoy the evening. Kids run around until darkness finally settles in, while parents lean against the car talking about everything except the movie they're about to watch.

Rodeo Drive-in Theatre
Bremerton, WA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Drive-ins have always encouraged people to slow down. Instead of rushing through a lobby to find a seat before the lights go out, you become part of the evening itself. You watch the sky gradually fade, listen to the sounds around the lot, and wait for the giant screens to glow against the darkness. By the time the previews begin, you've already been there for an hour—and that's exactly the way it should be.

Looking across the property, it's hard not to notice just how large the Rodeo really is. Three towering screens stand watch over hundreds of parking spaces, giving the theater an almost small-town feel once everyone has settled in. Every screen tells a different story, yet together they create one shared experience that's becoming harder to find every year.

One of the lots
Bremerton, WA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Like many surviving drive-ins, the Rodeo has changed with the times. The old speaker poles have given way to FM radio sound, and modern digital projection has replaced film reels spinning inside the projection booth. Fortunately, those updates happened quietly. The experience remains remarkably familiar. You still tune in the movie through your car radio, watch the stars appear overhead, and enjoy a first-run film beneath an open sky.

Perhaps that's what makes places like this so appealing. They remind us that entertainment doesn't always have to happen inside four walls. There's something wonderfully simple about parking the car, rolling down the windows, and sharing an evening with a few hundred strangers who all came looking for the same thing—a good movie and a memorable night out.

The playground area
Bremerton, WA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Rodeo has been doing exactly that for generations. First dates have started here. Families have made annual traditions of returning every summer. Children who once watched cartoons from the back seat now bring their own kids to experience a drive-in for the first time. The movies may change every week, but the feeling of spending an evening here has remained surprisingly timeless.

As more drive-ins quietly disappear from the landscape, the Rodeo becomes even more special. It's no longer just an old movie theater. It's a reminder of an era when the journey to the theater was part of the entertainment, when people came early simply because they enjoyed being there, and when a glowing screen under the stars could make an ordinary summer night feel unforgettable.

UPDATE: The Rodeo Drive-In continues operating seasonally with three screens, remaining one of the Northwest's oldest and best-known family-owned drive-in theaters. 07-26