Big Island Drive-In

Big Island Drive-In is a drive-in movie theater located in Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada. It was established in 1957 by the Ernest family and is one of only a handful of drive-in cinemas still operating in Canada. The venue screens films in all weather as long as power is available, with gates opening one hour before showtime. Audio is broadcast over FM radio at 92.5 FM, and customers must use their vehicle radios as there is no app for tuning in. The drive-in offers a mobile ordering option for concessions with vehicle delivery, and all methods of payment are accepted, though cash is preferred at the ticket booth to speed up entry. Pets are always welcome. The theater typically operates on weekends, with double features on Saturday nights during certain months. After changing hands over the decades, it was purchased by Dawn and Dan Hlady, who undertook the costly digital projection conversion required to keep it viable after the industry-wide shift away from 35 mm film. The drive-in is considered a community landmark and an asset to the surrounding area, preserving a piece of North American outdoor cinema culture that once included over 5,000 drive-in screens.

The drive-in movie theater concept began in 1933 when the first drive-in projected a movie using a 1928 Kodiak projector placed on a car hood, with a screen pinned to trees and a radio behind the screen for sound. The patent for the drive-in theater was approved in 1949, and drive-ins proliferated across North America during the 1950s and 1960s after World War II. At their peak, there were over 5,000 outdoor movie screens, and drive-ins became an icon of everyday North American culture for families and teenage date nights alike. However, rising real estate prices, especially in suburban areas, the growth of walk-in theaters, and increasing equipment costs due to changing technology led to a major decline in the drive-in industry. Today, only about 750 drive-ins remain in North America, with only a dozen of those in Canada. Big Island Drive-In was created in 1957 by the Ernest family and operated into the 1980s. It then changed hands to the Leefe and Eastman families, who operated it until 2015. The digital revolution posed an existential threat to drive-ins: theaters that did not upgrade their projectors to digital standards risked closure because modern movies are no longer made on 35 mm film. This required a large investment in an uncertain industry. Recognizing the venue's importance to the community and surrounding area, Dawn and Dan Hlady purchased the drive-in and proceeded with the digital conversion so it could be enjoyed for years to come. After more than 60 years in operation, the landmark remains an asset to the community, and the Hladys look forward to keeping its history alive.

• 2015

  Leefe and Eastman families cease operation.

• 1980

  Operation by the Ernest family ends; venue changes hands to the Leefe and Eastman families.

• 1957

  Big Island Drive-In created by the Ernest family.

• Dawn and Dan Hlady purchase the drive-in and carry out digital projection conversion.

A nostalgic, community-focused outdoor cinema preserving the classic drive-in experience in a remote Canadian setting.

• Drive-in movie screenings

• Double features on Saturday nights

• Concessions with mobile ordering and vehicle delivery

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