Silvermoon Drive-in
A historic drive-in movie theater in Lakeland, Florida, and the last remaining drive-in theater in Polk County.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Silvermoon Drive-in is a historic outdoor cinema in Lakeland, Florida. Founded on April 14, 1948, it is identified as the last remaining drive-in theater in Polk County. The venue opened during the postwar expansion of automobile-oriented entertainment in the United States, when drive-in theaters offered families a way to watch feature films from their cars in an informal outdoor setting. Its first attraction was Up Goes Maisie, starring Ann Sothern and George Murphy, and admission reportedly cost 35 cents per person. The theater was initially owned and operated by I. Q. Mize and M. G. Waring. Its early history included a major interruption when a tornado damaged the screen on May 23, 1950. The venue reopened on July 1 of that year, allowing it to continue operating rather than becoming one of the many drive-ins that disappeared after weather damage, changing land values, or shifts in audience behavior. In 1952, Mize and Waring sold the property to Carl Floyd, whose Floyd Theaters operated a substantial network of theaters across Florida. The Silvermoon subsequently became part of a changing corporate theater landscape. Floyd Enterprises was acquired by Burnup & Sims in the late 1970s. Although ownership changed, Harold Spears, who had been appointed president of Floyd Theatres by Carl Floyd, remained associated with the operation. In 1985, the venue expanded its presentation capacity by adding a second screen, reinforcing its role as a multi-screen destination rather than a single-screen roadside theater. During the 1990s, Burnup & Sims merged with Mastec. In 1996, when Mastec directed that the remaining drive-in theaters be closed, Spears established Sun South Theatres and acquired the Silvermoon along with two other drive-in venues. This transaction preserved the theater as an independently operated drive-in and connected it with the Joy-Lan Drive-In in Dade City, which continues to operate. Another theater acquired in the same transaction, the 28th Street Drive-In in St. Petersburg, closed in 2000. Silvermoon marked its fiftieth anniversary with a gala in 1998. In 2022, both screens were upgraded to laser projection systems, a modernization intended to improve image quality while retaining the venue's traditional car-based viewing format. The theater's identity rests on continuity, outdoor communal entertainment, and preservation of a form of exhibition that has become comparatively rare. Its appeal combines current film programming with the atmosphere and historical character of a long-running American drive-in.
History
Silvermoon Drive-in opened in Lakeland, Florida, on April 14, 1948. Its inaugural film was Up Goes Maisie, featuring Ann Sothern and George Murphy, and the reported admission price was 35 cents per person. The theater was founded and operated by I. Q. Mize and M. G. Waring, during the period when drive-in cinemas were expanding across the United States as automobile ownership and suburban development increased. The venue suffered significant weather damage when a tornado struck on May 23, 1950, damaging its screen. It resumed operations on July 1, demonstrating the owners' commitment to restoring the site. In 1952, Mize and Waring sold the theater to Carl Floyd, the owner of Floyd Theaters, a Florida theater chain. The change placed Silvermoon within a larger regional exhibition network. Floyd Enterprises was acquired by Burnup & Sims in the late 1970s. Harold Spears, who had been appointed president of Floyd Theatres by Floyd, remained with the organization after the acquisition. The theater expanded in 1985 through the addition of a second screen. This made it possible to show more than one program and helped the venue compete as a multi-screen drive-in while retaining its original outdoor format. In the 1990s, Burnup & Sims merged with Mastec. Mastec later decided in 1996 to close the remaining drive-in theaters under its control. Spears responded by creating Sun South Theatres and purchasing Silvermoon together with two other drive-ins. The acquisition preserved Silvermoon as an operating cinema. One of the related properties, the 28th Street Drive-In in St. Petersburg, closed in 2000, while the Joy-Lan Drive-In in Dade City continued operating. Silvermoon celebrated its fiftieth anniversary with a gala in 1998. Its later history has involved modernization rather than conversion to another use. In 2022, both screens were upgraded to laser projection systems. The venue is regarded as the last remaining drive-in theater in Polk County and continues to represent a surviving form of American outdoor film exhibition. Its historical value derives from its long operating history, continuity through multiple ownership structures, two-screen configuration, and adaptation of projection technology without abandoning the drive-in experience.
- 2022
Laser projection conversion
[1]Both screens were upgraded to laser projection systems.
- 1998
Fiftieth anniversary gala
[1]The theater marked fifty years of operation with a gala celebration.
- 1996
Acquisition by Sun South Theatres
[1]Harold Spears formed Sun South Theatres and acquired Silvermoon after Mastec ordered the closure of its remaining drive-ins.
- 1985
Second screen added
[1]Silvermoon expanded from one screen to two.
- 1952
Sale to Floyd Theaters
[1]The founding owners sold the theater to Carl Floyd, owner of Floyd Theaters.
- 1950
Tornado damage and reopening
[1]A tornado damaged the screen on May 23; the theater reopened on July 1.
- 1948
Silvermoon Drive-in opens
[1]The theater opened in Lakeland on April 14 with Up Goes Maisie as its first attraction.
Products and positioning
A heritage drive-in cinema combining contemporary movie exhibition with a traditional outdoor, car-based viewing experience.
Film exhibition · 1948
Drive-in movie screenings
Silvermoon presents feature films outdoors while audiences watch from parked vehicles. The format preserves the defining drive-in model: a large outdoor screen, vehicle-based seating, and a communal cinema experience that differs from an enclosed multiplex.
Cinema technology and venue offering · 2022
Two-screen laser projection
The venue operates two screens, added over the course of its history, with both upgraded to laser projection in 2022. The upgrade modernized image presentation while preserving the theater's historic outdoor operating model.
Brand decisions
2022
Upgrade to laser projectionGeneration changeBackground
The long-running drive-in needed to maintain contemporary projection quality while retaining its established outdoor format.
Action taken
Both Silvermoon screens were converted to laser projection systems.
Aftermath
The theater modernized its presentation technology without changing its two-screen drive-in identity.
1996
Formation of Sun South Theatres and acquisition of SilvermoonM&ABackground
Mastec directed the closure of its remaining drive-in theaters after its corporate merger history with Burnup & Sims. Harold Spears sought to preserve the venues rather than allow them to shut.
Action taken
Spears formed Sun South Theatres and purchased Silvermoon along with two other drive-in theaters.
Aftermath
Silvermoon remained in operation, while the related 28th Street Drive-In later closed and the Joy-Lan Drive-In continued operating.
Recent events
- 2022
Both Silvermoon screens receive laser projection upgrades[1]
Product generation · Other
The theater upgraded both screens to laser projection systems.
- 1998
Silvermoon celebrates its fiftieth anniversary[1]
Other
The theater commemorated five decades of operation with an anniversary gala.
- 1996
Sun South Theatres acquires Silvermoon Drive-in[1]
M&A
Harold Spears formed Sun South Theatres and acquired Silvermoon after Mastec directed the closure of its remaining drive-in theaters.
- 1985
Silvermoon adds a second screen[1]
Other
The theater expanded its presentation capacity by adding another screen.
- 1950
Tornado damages Silvermoon Drive-in screen[1]
Other
A tornado damaged the theater's screen on May 23. The venue reopened on July 1, 1950.
Sources2 sources
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