Valle Drive-In

Valle Drive-In is a drive-in movie theater in Newton, Iowa, United States, and according to its own history it is the oldest drive-in in Iowa, having opened for business in 1949. It is one of only five remaining drive-ins in a state that once hosted nearly 70 of them in the 1950s. The theater operates on old Highway Six in Newton and presents itself as both a working cinema and a preserved slice of Americana. The venue shows first-run movies at the same time as indoor theaters, so audiences do not have to wait to see the latest releases. Screenings are held outdoors, with gates typically opening at 6:30 p.m. for guests to meet, greet and eat before the main feature begins at dusk. Movie audio is broadcast over FM 88.7 so patrons can listen through their car stereos; those without FM stereos or who prefer not to use them are encouraged to bring a portable FM radio. Tickets can be reserved online until 6:00 p.m. on the day of the showing, and remaining seats are sold at the box office if the night is not sold out. Admission is priced for families and casual moviegoers: general admission is $8.00 for ages 12 and up, kids admission is $5.00 for ages 5–11, and children 4 and under are admitted free. The experience is deliberately old-school. The teasers shown before the movies are original, as are the snack shack, the popcorn maker and the neon Valle sign. Guests are invited to toss a Frisbee or football around before settling in for the show. Valle Drive-In is a small, privately operated local business rather than a national chain. Its programming mixes current Hollywood releases — for example, a 2026 lineup pairing "Resident Evil" with "Insidious: Out of the Further" — with the nostalgic rituals of the classic American drive-in. Its official website serves as the primary source for showtimes, pricing and reservation rules, and the theater is also recorded in Wikidata as a drive-in movie theater in Newton, Iowa.

Valle Drive-In opened for business in 1949 in Newton, Iowa, making it the oldest drive-in in the state according to its own account. It began operating during the postwar boom of American drive-in culture, a phenomenon that grew out of Richard Hollingshead, Jr.'s experiments in Riverton, New Jersey — nailing a screen to trees, setting a 1928 Kodak projector on a car hood and placing a radio behind the screen — and then exploded with the introduction of in-car speakers in the 1940s. By the 1950s, Iowa had nearly 70 drive-ins. Over the following decades, changing entertainment habits, rising land values and the shift to indoor multiplexes caused most of them to close. Valle survived, and today it is one of only five drive-ins left in Iowa. The theater has kept much of its original character: the teasers shown at the beginning of movies are original, as are the snack shack, the popcorn maker and the neon Valle sign. In the 21st century, Valle continues to operate as a first-run theater, showing the same new releases as indoor cinemas at the same time. It has adapted to modern expectations with online vehicle reservations, while retaining the classic drive-in ritual of arriving early, eating at the snack shack and listening to the film through the car stereo. Audio is delivered over FM 88.7, and guests without FM stereos are asked to bring a portable FM radio. Gates generally open at 6:30 p.m., the main feature begins at dusk, and reservations close at 6:00 p.m. on the day of the showing, with box-office sales available if the night is not sold out. Pricing has been kept accessible for families: $8.00 general admission for ages 12 and up, $5.00 for ages 5–11, and free admission for children 4 and under. Programming mixes contemporary horror and genre releases — a 2026 example paired "Resident Evil" with "Insidious: Out of the Further" — with the nostalgic atmosphere of a mid-century American drive-in. The theater is located on Newton's old Highway Six and is recorded in Wikidata as a drive-in movie theater in Newton, Iowa, United States.

• 2026

  The theater advertises a first-run double feature of "Resident Evil" and "Insidious: Out of the Further" for October 2–3, 2026.

• 1950

  By the 1950s Iowa hosts nearly 70 drive-ins, the peak era for the format in the state.

• 1949

  Valle Drive-In opens for business in Newton, Iowa, becoming the state's oldest drive-in.

A family-friendly, nostalgic American drive-in offering first-run movies at an affordable price, and Iowa's oldest surviving drive-in.

• First-run movie screenings

  New releases shown at the same time as indoor theaters.

• FM 88.7 audio broadcast

  Movie audio accessed through the car stereo or a portable FM radio.

• Snack shack concessions

  Original snack shack and popcorn maker serving classic drive-in food.

• Online vehicle reservations

  Reservations must be made no later than 6:00 p.m. on the day of the showing.

1. 1Home - Valle Drive-Invalledrive-in.com
2. 2About - Valle Drive-Invalledrive-in.com
3. 3Valle Drive-In - Wikidatawikidata.org