Mt. View Drive-In Theatre (Closed)
Stanton, KY Photo courtesy Barry Wells
The Mt. View Drive-In Theatre in Stanton had an especially unusual roadside feature: a car wash beneath its main screen. The towering structure performed two jobs, combining an everyday automotive service with outdoor entertainment. Its position near the highway made the arrangement difficult to overlook.
Opened in 1956, the theater later expanded to two screens and accommodated about 350 cars. Regular movie seasons ended after 2016, and the main screen was subsequently removed. The concession building survived, preserving the part of the property where generations of customers had collected popcorn and refreshments between features.
UPDATE: The former concession stand reopened as the Drive-In Diner in July 2025. Original equipment and movie memorabilia contribute to its atmosphere, while occasional outdoor screenings and community events maintain an entertainment connection. The regular drive-in business has ended, but the property has found another way to welcome customers. 11-26
Starlight Six Drive-in Theatre
Atlanta, GA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Starlight Six Drive-In Theatre gives Atlanta’s Moreland Avenue a welcome touch of old-fashioned moviegoing. Its Art Deco-style entrance marquee announces an evening beneath the stars, with towering screens waiting beyond the ticket booths. It’s the kind of roadside landmark that makes checking what’s playing part of the drive. 06-06
Opened in 1949 with one screen, the Starlight added a second in 1956 and became the Starlight Twin. Four more followed in 1983, creating the familiar Starlight Six name. While many outdoor theaters were closing, this one expanded to compete with indoor multiplexes and offer customers a broader choice of movies.
The grounds also found a daytime role through the swap meet introduced in 1983. Later, events such as Drive-In Invasion combined movies with live music, vintage cars, and camping. Digital projection arrived in 2013, updating the presentation while retaining the essential experience of watching from a parked car or lawn chair.
Starlight Six Drive-in Theatre
Atlanta, GA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
UPDATE: The Starlight remains open as Atlanta’s surviving drive-in, now advertising four screens rather than the six recalled by its older name. Movies and the weekend flea market continue bringing different crowds through the entrance. Good to see this longtime landmark adapting while keeping outdoor entertainment at its heart. 11-26
Jesup Drive-in Theatre
Jesup, GA Photo courtesy Andy Morales
The Jesup Drive-In Theatre marquee offers a welcome invitation along U.S. 301: pull in, find a parking spot, and wait for the stars to come out. Its giant screens make this more than an ordinary roadside stop. For generations of southeast Georgia moviegoers, the entrance has marked the beginning of an evening outdoors. 07-06
Ward Riggins Sr. established the theater in 1948, originally as the Family Drive-In. It later became the Jesup and expanded to two screens. Its presentation has embraced the drive-in’s mid-century associations, including carhop service and nostalgic styling. Although often described as Georgia’s oldest drive-in, its history includes interruptions, making “continuously operating” a less accurate description.
UPDATE: Hurricane Helene severely damaged the theater in 2024, but owners Ralph and Jamie Hickox restored the property and reopened it in spring 2025. The Jesup continues showing movies, and its recovery earned a 2025 Renaissance Award from the Georgia Cities Foundation. Good to see this longtime outdoor theater receiving another chapter. 11-26
Jesup Drive-in Theatre Marquee
Jesup, GA Photo courtesy Andy Morales
Jesup Drive-in Theatre Marquee
Jesup, GA Photo courtesy Andy Morales
Eden Drive-in Theatre
Eden, NC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
The Eden Drive-in Theatre still shows first run movies in the open air for folks that visit or are in Eden, NC. According to the Eden Drive-in Theatre website, the Eden shows double features every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Also according to the website, the Eden was originally the Leakesville Drive-in. Many thanks to Steve/Back on Tack for info. 04-08
Its naming history is more complicated than a simple change in 1967. Earlier Eden and Leaksville drive-ins operated in the area, and historical accounts connect the surviving property with the former Leaksville theater. After a period of closure, David and Judy Robinson revived the site in 1994. The Eden name reflected the city formed by the consolidation of Leaksville, Spray, and Draper.
UPDATE: Eden continues operating as a twin-screen drive-in, with the second, smaller screen added around 2020. Seasonal schedules determine available movie nights, so the older Friday-through-Sunday description should not be treated as a permanent timetable. Good to see this revived theater continuing its outdoor-movie tradition. 11-26
Mt. View Drive-In Theatre (Closed)
Starlight Six Drive-in Theatre
Starlight Six Drive-in Theatre
Jesup Drive-in Theatre
Eden Drive-in Theatre
