- Gets dark6:51 pmGates open 6:00 PM
- Google rating4.90123456789,012345678901234567890123456789reviews
- Screens1
- Price$12per adult
- Outside foodNot allowed
- DogsOn a leash
- Sit outsideYes
- FM89.3 FM
- This week's moviesOn Facebook pagePer-event, announces each 35mm repertory or festival screening individually rather than a weekly schedule
- Opened1949
The Mahoning Drive-In Theater runs an exclusively retro 35mm program, projected reel to reel on original 1940s Simplex projectors, on what the theater calls the largest CinemaScope screen in Pennsylvania. It was built in 1948 and opened for its first season in 1949, and it has run every summer since.
Shows are event based rather than a fixed weekly lineup, with festivals and themed weekends announced through the site's Current Events section and the theater's social media.
Location
Where is Mahoning Drive-In Theater?
Mahoning Drive-In Theater is at 635 Seneca Rd, Lehighton, PA 18235. The entrance is at Mahoning Drive East. The closest highway is PA-902.
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Where to eat nearby
If you would rather eat before the movie than at the counter:
- Kyushu Ramen
- Circa 1898
- Bonnie & Clyde Pub and Grill
Start time
What time does the movie start at Mahoning Drive-In Theater?
What Mahoning Drive-In Theater says: The theater says films start at dusk, as soon as it gets dark enough for the projectors to show the picture.
In October the sun sets around 6:23 pm and it gets dark around 6:51 pm.
Dark means full dark, about 25 minutes after sunset. It is not a time Mahoning 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 | 8:10 pm |
| May | 8:44 pm |
| June | 9:09 pm |
| July | 9:05 pm |
| August | 8:31 pm |
| September | 7:40 pm |
| October | 6:51 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 Mahoning Drive-In Theater costs
- Adult$12
- Child$5Ages 5-13
- Under 5FreeKids 4 and under
Amenities
Food, restrooms and rules
- Full kitchen
- You cannot bring your own food
- Portable toilets, no restroom building
- No cash machine here. The closest one is at Giant/Big Lots plaza down the road
- You can bring your dog, on a leash
- You can sit outside your car
- Extended Pass, a dusk till dawn ticket that lets you stay after the scheduled films and gives access to the tent viewing area in the backlot
- Vintage VHS tapes, LPs and merch for sale in the concession stand
- Also here: camping*
Showtimes
What's playing at Mahoning Drive-In Theater this week
Mahoning Drive-In posts this week's movies and start times on its Facebook page, usually per-event, announces each 35mm repertory or festival screening individually rather than a weekly schedule. Check there for tonight's show.
Reviews
What visitors say about Mahoning Drive-In Theater
From 1,003 visitor reviews, 4.9 stars.
Guest appearances and themed weekends
- Four of the newest 20 reviews praise the special events: visiting actors and filmmakers, autograph lines, kung fu and horror nights, themed weekends.
- Reviewers drive two hours or more several times a year for them and some stay overnight.
Before you go
Know before you go
- The box office opens 6:00 PM
- Rain or shine, the movie plays
- Phone radio apps will not work for the film audio because of a delay that puts picture and sound out of synch. Bring a car radio or a portable radio.
- Live DJs play on 89.3 FM from about 6pm until showtime, so arriving early is part of the show.
- Vendors on the lot often do not take cards even though the ticket booth and concession stand do. The nearest ATM is at the Giant and Big Lots plaza down the road.
- If your battery dies, ask at the concession stand and staff will send someone out to jump the car.
History
The history of Mahoning Drive-In Theater
The Mahoning Drive-In Theater was built in 1948 and opened for its first season in 1949. Jeff Mattox, who learned 35mm projection in the Air Force and worked at indoor and outdoor theaters across Pennsylvania, came to the Mahoning in 2001 and took over as manager in 2014.
His decision to keep the theater on 35mm rather than convert to digital is what turned it into what he called a living museum of film. Mattox died suddenly following complications from surgery, and the staff say they are continuing to operate the theater in tribute to him.
FAQ
Questions about Mahoning Drive-In Theater, answered
How many screens does Mahoning Drive-In have?
Mahoning 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 Mahoning Drive-In use?
Mahoning Drive-In broadcasts its soundtrack on 89.3 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 Mahoning Drive-In?
What Mahoning Drive-In says: The theater says films start at dusk, as soon as it gets dark enough for the projectors to show the picture. In October it gets dark around 6:51 pm. Check with the theater on the day you go.
How much does Mahoning Drive-In cost?
Admission to Mahoning Drive-In is $12 per adult, $5 per child 5-13. Two adults and two children come to $34. Children 4 and under get in free.
Can I bring my own food to Mahoning Drive-In?
Mahoning Drive-In does not allow outside food or drink. Everything you eat has to come from the counter, which is how a lot like this one keeps its gate price down. Eat before you go, or plan on buying dinner there.
Are dogs allowed at Mahoning Drive-In?
Dogs are welcome at Mahoning 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 Pennsylvania
- 11 miles awayBecky's Drive-InSee this theater
- 15 miles awayShankweiler's Drive-InSee this theater
- 31 miles awayGarden Drive-InSee this theater
- 35 miles awayMoonlite Drive-InSee this theater