This MySpace page is dedicated to all the Buffalo area (Erie and Niagara County) drive-ins, most of which are now "Gone With The Wind," sadly. In September 2007, with the closing of the Buffalo Drive-in Theatre in Cheektowaga, the Transit Drive-in Theatre in Lockport became the only operational drive-in theatre within a 30 mile radius of the city of Buffalo.
Other operational drive-ins which are relatively close to Buffalo include the Delevan Drive-in Theatre in Delavan, the Park 60 Drive-in Theatre in Jamestown, the Portville Drive-in Theatre in Portville, the Silver Lake Drive-in Theatre in Perry, the Sunset Drive-in Theatre in Middleport,and the Vintage Drive-in Theatre in Avon.
There are presently only 28 operational drive-in theatres which remain open today in all of New York state, down from a high of 156 in 1962. Nationally, there were once over 4,000 drive-in theatres at their peak in 1958, most of which have disappreared from the cultural landscape. Today, less than 400 drive-ins remain open in the entire United States. The Buffalo/Niagara region alone was once home for 20 drive-ins theatres in Erie and Niagara Counties, listed below alphabetically:
Aero Drive-in, Cheektowaga, NY (1950-1971)
Boulevard Drive-in, Wheatfield, NY (1954-1981)
Broadway Drive-in, Cheektowaga, NY (1950-1987)
Buffalo Drive-in, Cheektowaga, NY (1941-2007)
Delaware Drive-in, Tonawanda, NY (1949-1963)
Falls Auto Vue Drive-in, Town of Niagara, NY (1954-1981)
Grandview Drive-in, Evans, NY (1950-2005)
I-290 Drive-in, Tonawanda, NY (1965-1984)
Lockport Drive-in, Gasport, NY (1946-1987)
Niagara Drive-in, Amherst, NY (1941-1965)
Nite-Way Drive-in, Pendleton, NY (1948-195?)
Park Drive-in, West Seneca, NY (1950-1986)
Sheridan Drive-in, Tonwanda, NY (1950-1981)
Skyway Drive-in, Athol Springs, NY (1948-1985)
Star Drive-in, Blasdell, NY (1948-1978)
Starlite Drive-in, Town of Niagara, NY (1948-1981)
SUNSET Drive-in, Middleport, NY (1950-STILL OPEN!)
TRANSIT Drive-in, Lockport, NY (1952-STILL OPEN!)
Twin Drive-in, Depew, NY (1955-1982)
Wehrle Drive-in, Lancaster, NY (1955-1986)
If you have a drive-in related memory or story, share it with others by posting here in the comment section!
