Calvert City Drive-in Has Not Re-Opened Since Death of 110 Year Old Owner

So far in 2022, we have seen almost a dozen drive-in theaters close due to the sale of their land, staffing shortages, increased costs or a combination of those factors. Now it appears the fate of the Calvert City Drive-in located in Calvert City, Kentucky is now at risk as well.

The Calvert City Drive-in opened way back in 1953 and has operated continuously since then. It normally opens in April but as of June 22, it is still closed and there has been no word from the drive-in about their plans to open this year.

The Calvert City Drive-in closed early during the 2021 season. On August 16th, 2021, the Calvert City Drive-in announced on its Facebook page that it would be unexpectedly closing for the 2021 season. No reason was given but there have been no more posts since then about re-opening the drive-in. Their website still says, “Opening Spring 2022”.

Evelyn Harrington was the original owner of the Calvert City Drive-in. Her and her husband built and opened the drive-in in 1953. She continued to own the drive-in until last year when she passed away at the age of 110.

According to the Calvert City Drive-in’s Facebook page, she passed away on August 8th, 2021 and then the drive-in held it's last movie showing the evening of August 15th, 2021. So, it is reasonable to assume that the remaining family are trying to decide what to do with the Calvert City Drive-in since the death of its matriarch and owner.

The Calvert City Drive-in is located just a few miles from Kentucky Lake and Barkley Lake recreation areas. So even more so than most drive-ins, the Calvert City Drive-in was always packed during the summer nights with all the visitors coming to the lakes as the area is a large summer destination for boaters, fishers and campers.

This story is especially personal for me as I grew up not far from this drive-in and spent many summer nights there enjoying movies. I hope it will open again soon and we will not lose another classic 1950’s drive-in theater.

To learn more about the history of the Calvert City Drive-in, visit Calvert City Drive-in.

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