https://liteonline.com/teton-final-weekend-2024/
When drive-in movie season kicked off this summer, Idaho was lucky enough to still have seven classic drive-in theaters operating around the state. Unfortunately, one of those theaters will not be back next year.
In mid-July, the Teton Vu Drive-In in Rexburg broke the news to movie lovers with a post on Facebook reading:
"We are sad to announce the permanent closure of the Teton Vu-Drive In. The last day that we will be open to the public and then the last night that we will be showing movies will be on August 24, 2024. We are so grateful for all your love and support throughout the years that we have been open. Come Join us while you can!"
The theater reduced their screenings to weekends only on August 2, which means you only have two more evenings to catch a movie. The very last movies to be show at the 75 year old drive-in will be Spider-man Across the Spiderverse (8:50 p.m) and the sequel to 1996’s Twister, Twisters (11:50 p.m.) starring Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones. The movies will screen both Friday and Saturday.
Why is Teton Vu Closing?
Naturally, that was a question that movie goers in Eastern Idaho had after the announcement. The operators, which also run the Paramount 5, explained that the theater doesn’t actually own the land that it operates on. They’ve been leasing it well aware that one day the current owners planned to use it for development.
The process to get construction approved and permitted can be lengthy, so the current owners have allowed the theater to continue operating until they can break ground on the project they’ve been working on. East Idaho News reports that the project will include the construction of new townhomes and apartments to keep pace with how quickly Rexburg has grown.
Other Idaho Drive-Ins Get Some Upgrades
While we’re sad to see one of Idaho’s nostalgic drive-ins hang it up, other drive-in managers are trying to take their facilities to the next level As we recently reported, Maya and her team at Tiki’s Shave Ice and Mobile Bar recently took over the management of Caldwell’s Terrace Drive-In. The theater has been part of her family for 34 years.
In addition to their traditional concession stand, they’re now serving shaved ice and have the ability to host food trucks. They’re also working on adding a seating area for families with picnic tables and chairs and a separate seating area where they can serve beer and wine. The theater has also added an option to pre-purchase tickets online.
Over in Driggs, the new owners of the Spud Drive-In have some big plans for rehabbing the theater after it was damaged by high winds a few years ago.
Local News 8 in Idaho Falls reports that MD Landscaping and Nursery now owns the theater, so it shouldn’t surprise you that the vision doesn’t just include a rebuild of the screen. They’re hoping to make it a real community gathering place and naturally, that includes a big change in the landscaping, adding new cabins to the property and building a new concessions building. The Spud Drive-In’s project is currently going through the permitting and zoning process.
In addition to the Terrace and Spud, Parma Motor-Vu in Parma, Frontier Drive-In at the Mill in Emmett, Sun Set Auto Vue in Grangeville, Motor-Vu Drive-In in Idaho Falls and Idan-Ha Drive In in Soda Springs are all expected to return for another season.
Michelle Heart Published: August 22, 2024
