Cascade Drive-In Theater: reliving the past in the present
With only approximately 300 drive-in movie theaters still in existence, the Chicagoland area is lucky enough to harbor three of them, namely the biggest, Cascade Drive-In located an hour from Chicago in the West Chicago suburbs. When the sun sets, vehicles transform into personal living rooms under the stars.
Opened in 1961, the single-screen Cascade can accommodate up to 1200 vehicles in their gravel parking lot. Each person in the vehicle is charged an individual ticket fee, not per car load. A huge white screen takes centerstage with a small grassy picnic area underneath containing two grills and a few picnic tables. Patrons can grill whatever they want pre-show but must bring their own charcoal. It’s the kind of destination fit for a date or the entire family to tailgate before and during the double feature screening. Hatchback vehicles set up shop in the back of the lot and families will plant themselves in lawn chairs or on their own cars. Oldies music blasts through the speakers pre-show to further advance the nostalgia-theme.
People can pack their vehicles with their own sundries but a full concession stand offers a variety of snacks like fresh-made popcorn, soda, lemonade, hot dogs, sno-cones, pretzels, Dippin Dots and retro items of Fla-Vor-Ice and Big League Chew gum. Practical items of glow sticks and insect repellant are also for sale. There is one stipulation: a sign on the door reads food from the adjacent Scooby’s Drive-Thru snack shop is banned because they refuse to turn off their lights during shows.
Once it’s twilight, headlights go off and some old commercials play followed by the first of two features. To listen to the movies, either hinge the provided speakers on the car door, or tune into radio station 88.5 FM for stereo sound. Latecomers are forced to skulk through the darkness to find a spot, so it’s best to be on time. Roll down the windows, open the sunroof, let the top down and allow the soft-glow from the silver screen to transport you back to yesteryear.
HelloChicago Tip: On the website, there's usually a printable coupon for a cheap treat.
Posted by Garin Pirnia
