A March 1979 photo of the Sunrise Drive In Theatre in Valley Stream (Photo: CinemaTreasures.org)
Island Hopping

Pop-up drive-in movies prove popular during quarantine

As more and more people tire of quarantining at home, pop-up drive-in movie events are becoming very popular.

Soon after the Town of North Hempstead announced it was hosting drive-in movies at its parks next week, the town reported that all spaces had been filled and it was “actively working to find new locations.”

The town’s series begins with “The Goonies” on Saturday, May 23 at North Hempstead Beach Park in Port Washington, and subsequent drive-in movie nights were slated for Clinton G. Martin Park in New Hyde Park and Manorhaven Beach Park in Port Washington.

The last Long Island drive-in movie theater was the Westbury Drive-In, which closed in 1998 and was replaced by a 12-screen indoor theater.

More information on the North Hempstead pop-up drive-in series can be found at northhempsteadny.gov/drive-in.