- Gets dark6:54 pm
- Google rating4.5012345678901234567890123456789reviews
- Screens1
- Price$12per adult
- Car spots800
- This week's moviesOn Facebook pageWeekly
- Opened1949
Elmira Drive-In Theatre is at 2431 NY-352, Elmira, NY 14903.
Location
Where is Elmira Drive-In Theatre?
Elmira Drive-In Theatre is at 2431 NY-352, Elmira, NY 14903. The entrance is at Harris Hill Road. The closest highway is NY-352.
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Where to eat nearby
If you would rather eat before the movie than at the counter:
- Gabe's Grille
- Denny's Sub Shop
- Elbow Room
Start time
What time does the movie start at Elmira Drive-In Theatre?
Elmira Drive-In Theatre 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 6:26 pm and it gets dark around 6:54 pm.
Dark means full dark, about 25 minutes after sunset. It is not a time Elmira Drive-In Theatre 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 May to October, on the 15th.
| Month | Gets dark |
|---|---|
| May | 8:53 pm |
| June | 9:19 pm |
| July | 9:15 pm |
| August | 8:39 pm |
| September | 7:46 pm |
| October | 6:54 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 Elmira Drive-In Theatre costs
- Adult$12
- Child$6Ages 4-11
- Under 4FreeKids 3 and under
Amenities
Food, restrooms and rules
- Snack bar
- $1 Popcorn Tuesdays
- Restrooms in a building
- Screen collapse: the second screen came down (per multiple 2025-2026 Google reviews); the site currently lists showtimes on Screen 1 only and the ticket vendor shows a single repeating showtime, not two screens
- No re-entry: with or without a ticket stub, no re-admission once you leave
- No deliveries: no pizza or outside delivery orders accepted on the lot
- No BBQ grills allowed
- Shoes required on the grounds
- No alcohol or illegal drugs; violators dismissed without refund, law enforcement may be called
- Speed limit 5 MPH on the lot; violators leave without a refund
- Jump starts: if your car won’t start after the film, staff will help
- Hiring: part-time positions, applications at the box office/concession stand or emailed to [email protected]
- Main screen is 50' by 100', one of the largest in New York state
- Grounds and price concerns: one reviewer felt prices keep rising and the grounds/buildings need more upkeep (per an August 2026 Google review)
Showtimes
What's playing at Elmira Drive-In Theatre this week
Elmira Drive-In Theatre posts this week's movies and start times on its Facebook page, usually weekly. Check there for tonight's show.
Reviews
What visitors say about Elmira Drive-In Theatre
From 737 visitor reviews, 4.5 stars.
Concession stand
- Several 2025-2026 reviews say the concession stand runs slow or feels short-staffed on busy nights.
- Other reviews from the same window praise the food and drink selection, calling the popcorn good and the concession area's vibe great.
Second screen down
- Reviews from a year ago through August 2026 confirm only one screen is currently showing after the second came down in a weather incident.
Before you go
Know before you go
- Please be courteous to others and park larger vehicles toward the rear.
- Rain or shine, the movie plays
- $1 Popcorn Tuesdays, per the site's own promo banner.
- General admission is $12 (age 12+) for the double feature; kids 4-11 are $6; age 3 and under are free.
- Only one screen is currently running per the site's own listings and the ticket vendor's single showtime block, so do not count on two movies on two screens.
- No re-entry once you leave, with or without your ticket stub, per the venue's posted rules.
- Box office typically opens around 7:35-7:55pm depending on the night, per the venue's own Facebook posts.
- The lot slopes toward the screen, so a large vehicle parked near the front can block the lower part of the picture (especially subtitles) for cars behind it, per a Google review; ask to park farther back if you're in a tall vehicle.
- Per a Sept 11-13, 2026 Facebook lineup post, the box office opens at 6:44pm Friday, 6:30pm Saturday and 7pm Sunday now that the venue is weekends-only for the fall; this runs noticeably earlier than the mid-summer 7:35-7:55pm range.
History
The history of Elmira Drive-In Theatre
Opened April 16, 1949 as a single-screen theater by the Elmira Drive-In Theater Co., and known for a time as the Big Flats Drive-In. The Dipson Circuit ran it from 1963 to 1976, followed by Galaxy Theatres of Rochester, then S.J.M.
Entertainment Co. in 1980-1982. A second screen was added in 1999 under the Zurich Cinemas chain, managed by Dale and Karen Chapman. Converted to digital projection by 2014, per Cinema Treasures.
FAQ
Questions about Elmira Drive-In Theatre, answered
How many screens does Elmira Drive-In Theatre have?
Elmira Drive-In Theatre 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 time does the movie start at Elmira Drive-In Theatre?
Elmira Drive-In Theatre does not post a set start time that we could find. Most drive-ins start the movie around dusk, which in October is about 6:54 pm and at midsummer closer to 9:19 pm. Plan to be parked by sunset and check with the theater on the day you go.
When is Elmira Drive-In Theatre open?
For the 2026 season, Elmira Drive-In Theatre is open from May 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 Elmira Drive-In Theatre cost?
Admission to Elmira Drive-In Theatre is $12 per adult, $6 per child 4-11. Two adults and two children come to $36. Children 3 and under get in free.
Nearby
Other drive-in theaters in New York
- 59 miles awayFinger Lakes Drive-InSee this theater
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- 70 miles awayVintage Drive InSee this theater