- Gets dark6:49 pmGates open 7:00 pm (as early as 6:30 pm on early-start nights)
- Google rating4.7012345678901234567890123456789reviews
- Screens1
- Price$8per adult
- Outside food$15permit per car
- DogsOn a leash
- Sit outsideYes
- FM87.9 FM
- Car spots500
- This week's moviesOn own websiteWeekly
- Opened1950
Black River Drive In is at 28035 State Rte 3, Watertown, NY 13601.
Location
Where is Black River Drive In Theater?
Black River Drive In Theater is at 28035 State Rte 3, Watertown, NY 13601. The entrance is at NYS 342. The closest highway is US Route 81 (exit 48). Landmarks: Fort Drum.
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Where to eat nearby
If you would rather eat before the movie than at the counter:
- Foxy's
- Mac's
- Spud's
Start time
What time does the movie start at Black River Drive In Theater?
Black River Drive In Theater does not post a set start time that we could find. Check its Facebook page on the day you go.
In October the sun sets around 6:20 pm and it gets dark around 6:49 pm.
Dark means full dark, about 25 minutes after sunset. It is not a time Black River Drive In Theater promises, and some drive-ins start the movie before it. Plan to be parked by sunset.
Here is when it gets dark in each month, from April to October, on the 15th.
| Month | Gets dark |
|---|---|
| April | 8:16 pm |
| May | 8:55 pm |
| June | 9:23 pm |
| July | 9:18 pm |
| August | 8:39 pm |
| September | 7:43 pm |
| October | 6:49 pm |
For more on what time it gets dark and when drive-ins really start their movies, read our start-time guide.
Prices
How much Black River Drive In Theater costs
- Adult$8
- Child$3Ages 7-11
- Under 7FreeKids 6 and under
- Military discount$6With a valid ID
Amenities
Food, restrooms and rules
- Snack bar
- Outside food is allowed with a $15 permit, bought at the gate
- Free pizza (up to five toppings) given away by drawing at intermission
- Restrooms in a building
- Playground
- You can bring your dog, on a leash
- You can sit outside your car
- Concession deal: outside food permit ($15) includes a coupon for one free large (130 oz) popcorn
- Wifi audio: soundtrack can be streamed over venue wifi to your phone as a backup to car FM radio
- Jump starts: staff help jump-start dead batteries and free cars stuck in accessory mode (multiple 2026 reviews)
- Smoking: permitted on the grounds, not inside the concession building
- Nightly pizza drawing: ticket stubs are entered into a free nightly pizza drawing
- Parking: park within 1 foot of the speaker post; a fire lane around the concession building has no parking
- Possible sister venue: history page names a tie to a "Midway Drive-In" (Minetto, NY per that page) once run by co-founder John Nagelschmidt; Black River's own mailing address routes through Fulton, NY. Verify against the correct Midway record before linking as a sister venue -- Midway is a five-way name collision in this dataset.
Showtimes
What's playing at Black River Drive In Theater this week
Black River Drive In posts this week's movies and start times on its own website, usually weekly. Check there for tonight's show.
Reviews
What visitors say about Black River Drive In Theater
From 571 visitor reviews, 4.7 stars.
Staff helping with car trouble
- Four separate reviewers between July and September 2026 describe staff jump-starting dead batteries or freeing cars stuck in accessory mode, in one case past midnight.
- The venue's own admission page tells patrons who need a jump-start to visit the projection booth.
Before you go
Know before you go
- The box office opens 7:00 pm (as early as 6:30 pm on early-start nights)
- Park within a foot of the speaker post so a second car can fit next to you; anything larger than a conventional car must not block the view of the vehicle parked behind. Lift gates left open must be tied down so the top of the screen is still visible.
- Rain or shine, the movie plays
- No re-admission. Leaving forfeits your ticket stub; you must buy another ticket to return.
- The $15 outside food permit (site says $13.85 plus tax) includes a coupon for one free large 130 oz popcorn.
- Put your key in the accessory position, not full ignition, to save your battery. The venue also offers wifi to stream the soundtrack to your phone.
- Ticket stubs are your only proof of admission and enter you in a nightly free pizza drawing; there is no re-admission once you leave.
- Major credit cards are accepted at the box office and concession stand, despite Google's cash-only signal for this address.
History
The history of Black River Drive In Theater
Built in 1950 by Sylvan Leff, the Black River Drive-In passed through several operators (Panther Theatres, ATKO Canton Corp, and briefly Jeff Szot of the 56 Auto Drive-In) before a 1980s fire and a 20-year closure. John Nagelschmidt and longtime projectionist Loren Knapp formed Black River Drive-In, Inc. in 2005 and reopened the theater on August 18, 2006.
FAQ
Questions about Black River Drive In Theater, answered
How many screens does Black River Drive In have?
Black River Drive In has one screen. Everybody on the lot watches the same film, so there is nothing to choose when you arrive. Park where you like, tune your radio and wait for the light to go.
What FM frequency does Black River Drive In use?
Black River Drive In broadcasts its soundtrack on 87.9 FM. The audio comes through your own car stereo rather than a speaker on a post. If your car cannot run its radio with the engine off, bring a portable one.
What time does the movie start at Black River Drive In?
Black River Drive In does not post a set start time that we could find. Most drive-ins start the movie around dusk, which in October is about 6:49 pm and at midsummer closer to 9:23 pm. Plan to be parked by sunset and check with the theater on the day you go.
When is Black River Drive In open?
For the 2026 season, Black River Drive In is open from April to October, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. It closes for the winter and reopens in the spring, so a trip outside those months is not possible.
How much does Black River Drive In cost?
Admission to Black River Drive In is $8 per adult, $3 per child 7-11, $6 for military. Two adults and two children come to $22. Children 6 and under get in free.
Can I bring my own food to Black River Drive In?
You can bring your own food to Black River Drive In once you have bought a permit for $15 a car. The permit is worth it if you were going to spend more than that at the counter anyway. Without one, outside food is not allowed in.
Are dogs allowed at Black River Drive In?
Dogs are welcome at Black River Drive In as long as the leash stays on. Keep it short near other cars, bring water, and clean up afterwards. A nervous dog is worth leaving at home, because sound carries across a lot.
Nearby
Other drive-in theaters in New York
- 22 miles awayBay Drive-In TheatreSee this theater
- 54 miles awayMidway Drive-In TheatreSee this theater
- 75 miles away56 Auto Drive-in TheaterSee this theater
- 85 miles awayFinger Lakes Drive-InSee this theater