Tucson, AZ - The De Anza Drive-in Theatre at 1401 S. Alvernon Way is the last remaining open drive-in in
Tucson, Arizona. Sporting four screens, this ozoner, once called the Cactus,
still delights fans with multiple choices for entertainment. Unfortunately,
the pace of change is quickening, and the could be next to fall
by the wayside. Former name "Cactus" info courtesy Andy Callahan
De Anza Drive-in Theatre
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Here's a Tucson movie stop that held on long after most of its outdoor competitors disappeared. De Anza Drive-In Theatre stood near Alvernon Way and 22nd Street, where its large screens gave passing motorists a glimpse of movie night against the desert sky. For generations of local families, an evening here meant watching from the car instead of an auditorium seat.
The property opened on March 24, 1951, as the Cactus Drive-In. Originally a single-screen operation, it belonged to Tucson's postwar drive-in boom. The Cactus name disappeared after its 1976 closure, and the theater reopened as the De Anza in 1977, eventually developing into a four-screen complex.
While other Tucson drive-ins closed, the De Anza continued drawing audiences with outdoor double features and concession-stand trips between films. It became the city's last operating drive-in before holding its final screenings on October 3, 2009. The property's sale for redevelopment brought nearly six decades of moviegoing at this location to an end.
De Anza Drive-in Theatre (Demolished)
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
UPDATE: The De Anza is alive and well
and sports a new roof and new FM transmitters. The last few weekends have
been close to sold out for all four screens. The drive-in was originally
known as the Cactus and opened March 24 1951. It was owned by the same
folks who ended up owning all but the Syufy\Century Tucson 5 which opened
in January 1974 and closed around 1984 when it became a multiplex. The
name changed to the De Anza in 1977 when they made it a triple. A year
later, they added a fourth screen to compete with the Tucson 5. Many thanks to George Cohn for update. 05-04
UPDATE: After being threatened to be sold, demolished, and made into a retail complex, the proposed deal with Evergreen Development fell through earlier this summer. The De Anza has extended itself for hopefully many more months. There is capacity for 600 cars. 10-08
De Anza Screen
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
UPDATE: The De Anza Drive-in Theatre held its last open-air picture show on Saturday October 3, 2009 after being purchased by a land developer. The former Cactus Drive-in first showed movies in 1951 and was Tucson's last open drive-in theatre. According to the Arizona Daily Star, the Evergreen Development Co. has no immediate plans to develop the property. 10-08
UPDATE : A fundraising event was made in June 2011 towards finding a permanent location for a replacement drive-in theater. The Cactus Drive-in Theater Foundation anticipated around $750,000 to build a new drive-in theater. Quick Trip convenience store is located where the De Anza marquee once stood. 06-23
UPDATE: The De Anza was demolished after closing, with crews dismantling its last standing screen in April 2010. The screens and viewing fields are gone, leaving photographs and local memories to document Tucson's final permanent drive-in theater. Today, the original four-screen drive-in complex and its roadside marquees are entirely gone, with the cleared Alvernon Way lot redeveloped into modern commercial self-storage facilities. While Tucson lost its final permanent drive-in theater, the memory of the De Anza lives on through community pop-up cinema groups and the decades of starlit memories shared by local film fans. 08-26
More Photos of the DeAnza Drive-In Theatre
De Anza Driveway
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
De Anza Entrance
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
De Anza Screen Tower
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
De Anza Entrance Marquee
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
De Anza Screen Tower
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
De Anza
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
De Anza Screen Lot
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
De Anza Screen Tower
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
De Anza Screen Tower
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
De Anza Screen Tower
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
De Anza Screen Tower
Tucson, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
De Anza Drive-in Theatre (Demolished)
De Anza Screen
