The Highway 18 Outdoor Theatre in Jefferson, Wisconsin has closed for the season, but it likely won't be reopening next summer.

Located on Highway 18 just west of Jefferson, the theater is about 30 miles east of downtown Madison and 53 miles west of Milwaukee. Owner Lee Burgess put the theater up for sale in September 2023, and was quoted in news reports earlier this year (see the list below) that he intended to retire after the 2024 season. An article published recently by Channel 3000 reports that the theater has closed for good.

If you're interested in purchasing a drive-in movie theater and showing movies under the stars, its price has been reduced to $850,000 for the single-screen operation that dates back to 1953.

Moviegoers in the area will need to visit one of the other nearby theaters, including the AMC Classic Johnson Creek 12 in Johnson Creek, the Whitewater Cinemas in Whitewater, and the Towne Cinema in Watertown. The closest drive-in is located in the Milwaukee area. The Milky Way Drive-In is located in the parking lot of The Rock Sports Complex. For a traditional drive-in experience, you'll need to head southwest of Madison to go to the Sky-Vu Drive-In Theatre in Monroe or near Wisconsin Dells to visit the Big Sky Twin Drive-In Theatres.

Related News Articles

• Highway 18 Outdoor Theater holds last showings before closing for good -- Channel 3000 [Sep 27, 2024]
• The Highway 18 Outdoor Theatre drive-in may close after 70 years -- WISN-TV [Mar 1, 2024]