- Gets dark7:14 pmGates open 7:30 pm
- Google rating4.2012345678901234567890123456789reviews
- Screens2
- Price$30a carload
- Outside food$10permit per car
- DogsOn a leash
- Sit outsideYes
- FM99.3 FM*
- Car spots550
- This week's moviesOn Facebook pageWeekly
- Opened1953
Magic City Drive-In is at 5602 South Cleveland-Massillon Road in Barberton, Ohio, southwest of Akron.
It has two screens, a concession stand, a restroom building and a playground. You pay $30 for the car, so the price is the same whether two of you come or six.
As of 2026, the box office opens at 7:30 p.m. and the first movie starts about 8:30 p.m. If you want to bring your own food or drinks, you buy a $10 permit for the car.
Location
Where is Magic City Drive-In Theater?
Magic City Drive-In Theater is at 5602 S Cleveland Massillon Rd, Barberton, OH 44203. The entrance is at Wooster Road. The closest highway is SR 21.
Loads Google Maps when you tap it
Where to eat nearby
If you would rather eat before the movie than at the counter:
- Upper Crust Pizza & Chicken (Barberton location)
- Mr. Hero
- El Jalapeños
Start time
What time does the movie start at Magic City Drive-In Theater?
Magic City 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 6:46 pm and it gets dark around 7:14 pm.
Dark means full dark, about 25 minutes after sunset. It is not a time Magic City 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 May to October, on the 15th.
| Month | Gets dark |
|---|---|
| May | 9:08 pm |
| June | 9:33 pm |
| July | 9:29 pm |
| August | 8:55 pm |
| September | 8:04 pm |
| October | 7:14 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 Magic City Drive-In Theater costs
- Per car$30One price for the whole car
Amenities
Food, restrooms and rules
- Snack bar
- Outside food is allowed with a $10 permit, bought at the gate
- Restrooms in a building
- Playground
- You can bring your dog, on a leash
- You can sit outside your car
- Ejection: staff can remove guests without a refund for verbal abuse, threats or similar behavior, per the venue's own etiquette page.
Showtimes
What's playing at Magic City Drive-In Theater this week
Magic City Drive-In 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 Magic City Drive-In Theater
From 835 visitor reviews, 4.2 stars.
Restrooms
- It's a real restroom building, not a port-a-potty, and several visitors call it clean.
- Others say it's not the best kept.
Concession food quality
- Five reviewers from October 2022 through August 2026 called the food old, dry or overpriced, including a $7 hard pretzel one called "disgusting and old."
- Complaints span years rather than one bad night.
Picture quality
- Five reviewers from October 2022 through June 2026 said the picture was dark or hard to see, separate from the speaker complaints.
- A June 2026 reviewer said they "could barely see for half the movie due to poor quality."
Other patrons' lights and idling engines
- Three reviewers from September 2024 through June 2026 said other cars left headlights on or engines running during the movie, blocking the view or adding noise.
- One suggested parking close to the front to avoid glare from cars parked behind.
Before you go
Know before you go
- The box office opens 7:30 pm
- On a busy summer night, get there about 45 minutes early
- Trucks, vans, SUVs and large vehicles park next to the yellow speaker poles; keep rear hatches level so they don't block the view behind you.
- Rain or shine, the movie plays
- Bring a portable radio, just in case. Recent visitors report speaker boxes that don't work.
- Cards are accepted for admission and concessions (Visa, Mastercard); one visitor reported a card surcharge.
- Concession specials: $1 off fountain drinks every Thursday and $1 off pizza every Sunday, per the venue's own concession page.
- SUVs, trucks and other tall vehicles are directed to the yellow-pole area at the back; a 2025 reviewer said parking there let them watch both screens' movies at the same time.
- A 2026 reviewer suggests paying the $10 outside-food permit and bringing your own pizza rather than buying from the concession stand, calling the food overpriced.
History
The history of Magic City Drive-In Theater
Magic City Drive-In opened in 1953. The same owner has run it since 1985, and also runs Blue Sky Drive-In in Wadsworth, four miles away.
Connected drive-ins: Blue Sky Drive-In Theater, Wadsworth, Ohio.
FAQ
Questions about Magic City Drive-In Theater, answered
How many screens does Magic City Drive-In have?
Magic City Drive-In has two screens. Each one shows a different film on the same night, so you choose which screen you want as you pull in and park facing it. Ask at the gate what is playing on each.
What FM frequency does Magic City Drive-In use?
Magic City Drive-In broadcasts its soundtrack on 99.3 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 Magic City Drive-In?
Magic City 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 7:14 pm and at midsummer closer to 9:33 pm. Plan to be parked by sunset and check with the theater on the day you go.
When is Magic City Drive-In open?
For the 2026 season, Magic City Drive-In 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 Magic City Drive-In cost?
Admission to Magic City Drive-In is $30 a carload. That is one price for the whole vehicle, so five of you pay what two would.
Can I bring my own food to Magic City Drive-In?
You can bring your own food to Magic City Drive-In once you have bought a permit for $10 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 Magic City Drive-In?
Dogs are welcome at Magic City 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 Ohio
- 4 miles awayBlue Sky Drive-InSee this theater
- 21 miles awayMidway Drive-InSee this theater
- 25 miles awayLynn Auto TheatreSee this theater
- 33 miles awayAut-O-Rama Twin Drive-InSee this theater