- Gets dark7:04 pmGates open 7:00 pm
- Google rating4.601234567890123456789reviews
- Screens2
- Price$10per adult
- Outside foodNot allowed
- DogsOn a leash
- Sit outsideYes*
- FM screen 199.7 FM
- FM screen 295.1 FM
- Car spots800
- Opened1949
Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center is at 5349 Van Buren Road Ticket Booth, Dunkirk, NY 14048.
Location
Where is Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center Theater?
Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center Theater is at 5349 Van Buren Road Ticket Booth, Dunkirk, NY 14048. The entrance is at County Touring Route 74. The closest highway is Great Lakes Seaway Trail.
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Where to eat nearby
If you would rather eat before the movie than at the counter:
- Applebee's Grill + Bar
Start time
What time does the movie start at Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center Theater?
What Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center Theater says: The theater posted 8:30 pm for the first movie on September 18, 2026. Full dark that night was 7:51 pm, so the movie started about 39 minutes after dark.
In October the sun sets around 6:36 pm and it gets dark around 7:04 pm.
Dark means full dark, about 25 minutes after sunset. It is not a time Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center 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 |
|---|---|
| May | 9:04 pm |
| June | 9:31 pm |
| July | 9:26 pm |
| August | 8:50 pm |
| September | 7:56 pm |
| October | 7:04 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 Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center Theater costs
- Adult$10
- Child$8Ages 4-10
- Under 4FreeKids 3 and under
- Military discount$8With a valid ID
Amenities
Food, restrooms and rules
- Full kitchen
- You cannot bring your own food
- Restrooms in a building
- Playground
- You can bring your dog, on a leash
- You can sit outside your car
- Concession names: two stands, the Moonlight Cafe and the Starshine snack stand, one per screen
- Alcohol: beer sold onsite, per a 2025 review
- Hiring: the drive-in posts open positions on its Facebook page
- Events: hosts non-movie events such as a Sports Watch Party and a Rocky Horror Picture Show shadow-cast performance
- Also here: playground
Reviews
What visitors say about Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center Theater
From 70 visitor reviews, 4.6 stars.
Friendly, hands-on staff
- 12 mentions of friendly, accommodating staff and owners, including a battery jump-start (Jul 2025) and personal greetings at the gate (2025-2026).
Clean restrooms and grounds
- Reviewers repeatedly call the concession/restroom building spotless or super clean (Aug 2026, Jul 2025).
Concessions praised, one bad batch reported
- 7 reviews single out the food, including homemade pizza and a large menu, as a highlight (2025-2026).
- One May 2026 review reported expired canned sodas and stale popcorn at the Screen 2 stand; a single report, not a pattern.
Lot works for vehicles of every size
- Reviewers call the parking setup friendly to vehicles of all sizes, with larger vehicles routed to rings further back (2025-2026).
Before you go
Know before you go
- The box office opens 7:00 pm
- Larger vehicles park in rings further back. Hatchbacks may be opened no higher than the roof of the car, tied in place if needed; straps are available to borrow at the concession stand.
- No re-entry. Patrons who leave and return are charged full admission again at the gate.
- Screenings run Friday and Saturday nights through the season; a past season added Sunday screenings starting June 28.
- Recent reviewers report gates opening around 7pm and the first movie starting promptly at 9pm; not confirmed as the official house gate time.
- Straps to secure a raised hatchback are available to borrow at the concession stand.
- No re-entry: leaving and coming back means paying full admission again at the gate.
History
The history of Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center Theater
Opened as the Van Buren Point Drive-In on July 15, 1949. Closed in 1991 and was largely destroyed by a storm on November 14, 2011. Dan and Gina Beckley bought the shuttered site in 2020 and rebuilt it, reopening in 2021 as the Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center; family-owned and operated since.
FAQ
Questions about Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center Theater, answered
How many screens does Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center have?
Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center 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 Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center use?
Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center broadcasts its soundtrack on Screen 1: 99.7 FM, Screen 2: 95.1 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 Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center?
What Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center says: The theater posted 8:30 pm for the first movie on September 18, 2026. Full dark that night was 7:51 pm, so the movie started about 39 minutes after dark. In October it gets dark around 7:04 pm. Check with the theater on the day you go.
How much does Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center cost?
Admission to Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center is $10 per adult, $8 per child 4-10, $8 for military. Two adults and two children come to $36. Children 3 and under get in free.
Can I bring my own food to Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center?
Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center 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 Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center?
Dogs are welcome at Van Buren Drive-In & Activities Center 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
- 45 miles awaySunset Drive-InSee this theater
- 48 miles awayThe Route 16 Drive-InSee this theater
- 58 miles awayTransit Drive-In TheatreSee this theater
- 61 miles awayPortville Drive-InSee this theater