(Pictured: Twilite Drive-In in Wolseley. Photo from Twilite Drive-In Facebook page)
At one time drive-in theatres on the prairies were almost as common as those brooding grain elevators keeping watch over their towns. It was a thrill for people of all ages to catch a “flick” at the drive-in. Some actually watched movies while others were more interested in their date! Regardless, it hearkens back to a better, simpler time when cellphones and social media did not exist and you focused on your date and the movie.
We’re fortunate in southern Saskatchewan to have a couple drive-in theatres still operating. The first drive-in movie I ever went to was in the great community of Wolseley back in 1992 to see Batman Returns on the big screen. It was a thrill especially when you’re only six years old. We pulled up to our spot, got some snacks, dialed into the radio frequency and enjoyed the movie. It was pretty neat to be in a vehicle, windows rolled down, under a wide open prairie sky, and watching a movie.
We live in an age where reboots and all things retro are popular. I certainly hope that holds true for one of the last great pieces of nostalgia on the prairies, the drive-in movie theatre.