The Mahoning Drive-in Theater — Local services in Mahoning Township

Holy Smokes was this place FANTASTIC! I have an affinity for Drive - In movies and this place is my new favorite hands down. I can't believe that I just found out about it a few weeks back but I'm sure glad I did. I attended the Halloween I-III screening and was immediately impressed by the welcome I received at the ticket booth. I had purchased tickets online and a simple confirmation by the folks at the booth and I was in.

The person directing traffic asked me where I'd like to park to enjoy the movie and guided me to a spot in the second row which was great. The preshow radio DJ they had on their frequency was fun and entertaining and a great precursor of things to come. I got my Drive-In viewing set up together then took a little walk around to get a lay of the land.

The concession stand was fully stocked and had plenty of options. From burgers and dogs to perogies and mozzarella sticks (not to mention the coffee that powered me through part III). another cool thing was that the door to the projection room was open, and you could watch the projectionist in all their glory which was amazing to me. I'm guessing running an actual projector is a dying art form and was cool to see for sure.

Once the show started is when I really fell in love with The Mahoning.

The classic preshow reels they showed were fun and the Friday the 13th trailers between the Halloween movies were BONKERS (it was in fact a Friday the 13th). The fact that it was all original 35mm film was really the icing on the cake. I can't stress enough how much I appreciated that there is a drive in preserving actual FILM. It adds so much to the nostalgia factor that so many folks look for from a drive in.

Another thing I must mention is the audience. It was obvious from the get-go that everyone was excited to be there. From their Halloween inspired costumes to the tricked-out SUV/car set ups you could see a real love for the whole thing. It really did make a good thing that much better. There was absolutely a sense of community amongst the crowd, and it was awesome to see.

I did not get to experience their overnight stay option on this trip, but I will be staying for my next visit for sure. This is something that I think more Drive-In's should offer since it looks like a lot of folks make an effort to travel here from out of state. I had a 3 1/2- hour drive from NYC to get there (thankfully it was closer to 2 1/2 on the drive home).

Overall, out of the few dozen Drive-Ins I have been lucky enough to attend this was the best. EVERYTHING about the Mahoning showed how much love the operators have for the entire concept of the drive in. From the unique Lineups to the friendly atmosphere this place is in a class of its own as far as I...

I found out about this place about a month ago and attended for the first time last night. It was night #2 of Schlock-O-Rama 3. The experience was amazing! There really is something about watching older movies (especially B-level horror flicks) at a drive-in; the venue adds to the experience. For example, there’s an utterly ridiculous kill scene early on during the movie Octaman, which caused a group behind me to laugh their butts off and wildly cheer...which caused a similar response from everyone else at the drive-in! I could have streamed all of the movies at home for free, but the movies would have been dull or at least a huge piece would have been missing without that magical communal experience.

Everything is priced pretty cheaply. Some customers complain that folks are charged individually instead of per car. Let’s be honest, $10 per adult for anywhere between two and four movies is a steal...the whole point is for the place to make enough $ to stay open.

Facilities and offerings are extremely basic, the place has barely been updated since the late 1940s or so...it works more for those that enjoy rustic charm and who can go with the flow. What it lacks in looks and modern creature comforts, it more than makes up for in character thanks to its mission of preserving the authentic, original 35mm drive-in experience and also through the efforts and friendliness of the wonderful staff.

The concession stand offers the most basic of foods which are both tasty and kind of terrible at the same time...stuff like burgers, dogs, fries, tots, pizzas, and popcorn. I vouch for the popcorn in particular...free refills when you grab a large and they seem to liberally dispense the butter if you show some enthusiasm for it! Even if you don’t buy any food, consider stopping by and adding a few dollars to their tip jar; my understanding is that all staff volunteer their time and energy.

It’s frustrating I didn’t find this place earlier, but I loved the experience last night and hope to attend as many evenings and weekends as life allows in the spring and summer seasons. More than that, I hope this review/love letter encourages many more people, especially those with really large families and social groups to attend!...

Working on perfection, the Mahoning Drive-In continues to build an audience, a support network along with Patreon, other groups and venues, and new and innovative programs which engage and entertain movie lovers of all kinds. Anyone coming should be strongly encouraged to buy tickets in advance as some programs will quickly sell out. Also, encourage moviegoers to see the 2017 film, "At the Drive-in," about the Mahoning drive-ins recent history and struggle to stay in business in the face of an unaffordable digital upgrade. There are certainly other drive-ins in the region but the vibe here is Woodstock meets Comic-Con, with fans coming in costume, special promotions and sets around the concession stand, restrained only by some of the precautions which the pandemic has dictated. The drive-in is still in the process of bringing everything up to date after years of struggle, but they are really coming into their own with a spirited and unpaid volunteer Force who value the idea of preserving the drive-in theater above personal compensation. Moviegoers will typically pay about $10 for an admission, save for special events, with an option to stay overnight for another $10, so one may park there in the summer and maybe at end of barrel burn after the second show has finished. There are several other drive-ins in the region, sum better funded or in better condition but none with the same friendly Vibe and love of classic movies, genre films, and the great tradition of a drive-in movie theater as an American warm-weather past time. A truly eclectic and devoted ensemble of movie lovers will make you feel like family as they continue to renovate and improve what was once a dying Drive-In venue less than a decade ago. Make sure to connect on social media and provide your own content there to help promote its continued growth and creativity. Great things are bound to emerge along with a few Growing Pains as they carve out a really unique niche for Cinema lovers throughout the...