The Skowhegan Drive-In Theatre in Skowhegan, Maine opened in 1954 but this year marks the drive-in's final season.

Located southeast of Skowhegan on Waterville Road, the drive-in movie theater has been plagued this year with rainy weather. Its Facebook page is filled with mentions of rain, which makes it difficult to attract audiences that are watching movies outside. A message posted there recently mentions that there were "numerous considerations over an extended period of time" that caused them to make the decision to sell:

THERE IS A SEASON

2023 marked the Skowhegan Drive-In Theatre’s 70th year in business. It will also be the drive-in’s final season of operations.

The decision to sell the facility arose from numerous considerations over an extended period of time. There was not one single factor that led to this decision. If that had been the situation, it is likely that a single challenge could have been managed, but there were multiple causes that combined to create insurmountable obstacles.

Some of these factors emerged locally. Others originated far from Maine. Super heroes, sequels, smoking bans, and streaming combined to reduce the appeal of the Skowhegan Drive-In Theatre. In the digital era, the Skowhegan Drive-In Theatre was an endearing institution that was no longer relevant. It was out of place, and it ran out of time.

While Barbie brought out the best attendance of the summer, it wasn’t enough to make up for the dismal consequences of operations throughout May and June. One successful film can’t sustain a season spanning 17 to 20 weeks, and that pattern was similar to what occurred throughout the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

Initial plans called for operations to end in mid-July. Through the dedication and determination of Chaz Wing and a number of others, along with the success of Barbie, operations continued, and they will continue into the fall.

Please take advantage of this final opportunity to enjoy a movie under the starlit skies of a September night in Skowhegan, Maine.

There is a season, and for the Skowhegan Drive-In Theatre, its final season is slowly fading away.

Please keep any commentary positive!
For Labor Day Weekend, Friday, Saturday, & Sunday, it's
The original GHOSTBUSTERS, shown first at 8:00 PM
Followed by the original sequel, GHOSTBUSTERS 2
The box office & snack bar open at 7:00 PM

After almost 70 years, the days of watching a movie in the great outdoors in central Maine are almost over, so you'll want to make your plans accordingly!

To see what's playing and when, please visit the Showtimes page for the Skowhegan Drive-In Theatre.

Unfortunately for movie fans in the area that want to see their favorite movies under the stars, there are no open drive-in movie theaters within 50 miles of Skowhegan. While Maine does have four other drive-ins, the closest is the Prides Corner Drive-In in Westbrook, which is 93 miles to the south.

Lacking outdoor options, moviegoers in the area will need to visit one of the other nearby theaters, including the Spotlight Cinemas Strand Cinema in Skowhegan and the Maine Film Center and Flagship Cinemas - Waterville in Waterville.