The Boulevard Drive-In Theatre opened in Kansas City, Kansas, in 1950. It has projected light into the night just about every spring, summer, and fall weekend since.
Whether you’ve been to a drive-in theater or not, the Boulevard is unique for just how small-town-America it feels just four miles from Union Station. To see what we mean, pick a weekend and approach it on Roe Lane (then turn right onto Merriam) as the sun sinks. Odds are, you’ll see barbecue smoke hovering at the tree line and over the train tracks. The buildings get pared down to the essentials—homes, a gas station, a restaurant. It makes the drive-in’s pristine neon sign the most striking sight for miles.
You’ll see some classics on Boulevard’s 100-by-75-foot screen, but mostly first-run films—this year, blockbusters, including Jurassic World: Rebirth and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, are on the schedule—in 4K. We saw Lilo and Stitch. This weekend, they’re showing the new How to Train Your Dragon and DogMan. A double feature costs $15 per person (free for kids 11 and under). It’s cash only, so make sure to grab some before you pull into the gravel lot…