- Gets dark8:06 pmGates open 7PM
- Google rating4.60123456789,012345678901234567890123456789reviews
- Screens1
- Price$10per adult
- DogsOn a leash
- Sit outsideYes
- FM100.9 FM
- Car spots350
- Opened1950
Parkway Drive-In is at 2909 East Lamar Alexander Parkway in Maryville, Tennessee, south of Knoxville.
In 2026 it runs one screen with a nightly double feature and a full grill menu, plus a Saturday and Sunday flea market on the same lot. Admission is charged per person at the ticket booth, cash only, though concessions take cards.
As of 2026, the gate opens at 7:00 p.m. and the first movie starts at dusk, about 40 minutes after sunset.
Location
Where is Parkway Drive-In Theater?
Parkway Drive-In Theater is at 2909 E. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Maryville, TN 37804. The entrance is at South Washington Street and Jones Avenue.
Loads Google Maps when you tap it
Where to eat nearby
If you would rather eat before the movie than at the counter:
- Sonic
- Hardee's
Start time
What time does the movie start at Parkway Drive-In Theater?
What Parkway Drive-In Theater says: The theater says the movie starts about 40 minutes after sunset.
In October the sun sets around 7:00 pm and it gets dark around 8:06 pm.
Dark means full dark, about 25 minutes after sunset. It is not a time Parkway 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 | 9:14 pm |
| May | 9:42 pm |
| June | 10:03 pm |
| July | 10:01 pm |
| August | 9:33 pm |
| September | 8:49 pm |
| October | 8:06 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 Parkway Drive-In Theater costs
- Adult$10
- Child$5Ages 5-12
Amenities
Food, restrooms and rules
- Radios to rent: $3 per radio plus a photo ID held as deposit, per the site's own FAQ (contradicted elsewhere on the same page by Covid-era 'not providing portable radios' language).
- Snack bar
- Restrooms in a building, plus portable toilets
- You can bring your dog, on a leash
- You can sit outside your car
- Flea market: Saturday and Sunday 8am-3pm, weather permitting, run by Connie (865-696-0821)
- Staff smoking: reported near the concession window in one 2026-07-12 review
- No playground equipment on the lot (FAQ); large green-space lawns instead, no drones
- Admission covers both movies of the double feature.
- No grilling or cooking on the lot, and no food delivery services (Uber Eats, DoorDash) are allowed.
- Restrooms are on site, with a few portable toilets added when the lot is crowded.
- Also here: flea-market
Reviews
What visitors say about Parkway Drive-In Theater
From 1,335 visitor reviews, 4.6 stars.
Radio / FM sound
- Broadcast is FM 100.9; a 2* review (2026-07-26) says the FAQ page 'STILL mentions covid' when asking about radio rentals and got no reply.
- The site's own FAQ answer is self-contradictory: it says portable radios are suspended 'until further notice' due to Covid, then in the same answer quotes a $3 rental fee plus ID.
Weekend flea market
- Three of the 20 most recent reviews mention the Saturday/Sunday flea market as a separate draw from movie nights.
- One 4* review (2026-08-18) said booth setup is 8am, a $14 booth fee, and most vendors leave by 1pm though the lot stays open to 3pm.
Before you go
Know before you go
- The box office opens 7PM
- Large vans and trucks park in designated areas; nothing allowed above roof level; raised hatchbacks must be tied down to roof level or park with the larger trucks/vans (Rules page).
- Rain or shine, the movie plays
- No same night re-admission; patrons leaving the Drive-In are charged full admission to re-enter (Rules page).
- Bring cash. The gate does not take cards
- Ticket booth is cash only; the concession stand takes cash, credit and debit.
- The radio-rental FAQ answer is outdated and contradictory (Covid-suspension language next to a stated $3 rental fee) -- call ahead (865-379-9865) if you need a rental radio rather than trusting the page.
- A 2026-07-12 Google review reported staff smoking near the concession window/line, which bothered waiting guests.
- Flea market runs Saturday and Sunday, 8am-3pm, weather permitting, separate phone line 865-696-0821 (ask for Connie).
History
The history of Parkway Drive-In Theater
The Parkway Drive-In opened in 1950 with one screen and space for roughly 350 cars. It closed in 1984 and sat dark for about 15 years before reopening around 1999. Some later industry directories list a smaller capacity (300 cars in 1982); a single 2014 comment claims 550, which conflicts with contemporaneous trade-directory counts.
FAQ
Questions about Parkway Drive-In Theater, answered
How many screens does Parkway Drive-In have?
Parkway 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 Parkway Drive-In use?
Parkway Drive-In broadcasts its soundtrack on 100.9 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.
Can I rent a radio at Parkway Drive-In?
Parkway Drive-In rents radios at the counter: $3 per radio plus a photo ID held as deposit, per the site's own FAQ (contradicted elsewhere on the same page by Covid-era 'not providing portable radios' language). It is worth one if you plan to sit outside the car, or if running your stereo for four hours would flatten your battery. They go quickly on a busy night, so ask when you arrive rather than at the interval.
What time does the movie start at Parkway Drive-In?
What Parkway Drive-In says: The theater says the movie starts about 40 minutes after sunset. In October it gets dark around 8:06 pm. Check with the theater on the day you go.
How much does Parkway Drive-In cost?
Admission to Parkway Drive-In is $10 per adult, $5 per child 5-12. Two adults and two children come to $30. The booth takes cash only, so stop at a machine on the way.
Are dogs allowed at Parkway Drive-In?
Dogs are welcome at Parkway 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 Tennessee
- 44 miles awaySwingin' Midway Drive-InSee this theater
- 89 miles awaySparta Drive-InSee this theater
- 104 miles awayStateline Drive-InSee this theater
- 108 miles awayTwin City Drive-InSee this theater