OREFIELD, Pa Shankweiler's 90th Anniversary celebration has been postponed until Sunday, April 14th due to the traffic nearby for the Trump rally. It was originally scheduled for today.
Shankweiler's Drive-In originally opened on April 15, 1934. It was the second drive-in theater ever built, and for most of its history has been the oldest continually operating drive-in theater in the world.
Owners, Matthew McClanahan, and Lauren McChesney of Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theatre will be highlighting a re-enactment of the drive-in's earliest days.
They will be celebrating with an all-out birthday extravaganza for the theater.
Often described as "a bedsheet hung between two poles," the drive-in initially began as a DIY venture behind Wilson Shankweiler's popular restaurant and inn (now inhabited by Hunsicker Funeral Home). The re-enactment will also feature period-specific vehicles provided by The NB Center of American Automotive Heritage in Allentown.
"It's a huge honor to be a part of such a significant milestone, not just for Shankweiler's but for drive-ins around the world," says McClanahan. “This anniversary is a celebration of the theater's rich history, but it also marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter as we continue to evolve and innovate."
Gates will open at 5:00 PM for photo ops and activities, including magic from Mark Mysterrio and themed drinks by County Seat Spirits.
Movies showing:
8:00 pm - Twister - PG13
10:00 pm - Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire - PG13
Advance tickets are also back online for those coming from a distance or who want to ensure a space. See their event page for details:
About Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theatre:
Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theatre, located in Orefield, Pa., was built in 1934 by Wilson Shankweiler. The second drive-in ever built, Shankweiler’s now holds a Guinness World Record as the oldest operating drive-in theater in the world. Shankweiler’s became one of the first drive-in theaters to broadcast movie audio via FM broadcast stereo in 1986 and converted to digital cinema in 2014.
The theater was sold to its fourth set of owners, Matthew McClanahan and Lauren McChesney of The Moving Picture Cinema, LLC, in 2022.
For updated information about their schedule, visit www.shankweilers.com
