![]() There aren't many of these places left anymore (sadly, over 90% of drive-ins are gone now.) Hopefullly this place will be around for years to come. Wichita is lucky to have such a neat piece of Americana. Per one of the intermission commercials: "If you miss, just keep on driving!" What a hoot! When you leave, you just chuck your trash into a dumpster on the way out. When you check in, you get a plastic bag for your trash. I think my favorite part of the whole experience was the 1950's style cartoon commercials advertising for the snack bar. Sat in the car for the second show and enjoyed the stereo sound on the FM. We sat outside in lawn chairs for the first movie and used the speaker. They had two options for sound, either the old fashioned speakers or you could use your car stero. As most everyone knows, movie theaters make most of their money on concessions. They had all the favorites including popcorn, hot dogs, nachos, cotton candy, etc. Prices were reasonable for a movie theater, maybe a little cheaper than what you'd pay at a regular theater. It combines the best of drive-in nostalgia with modern technology and economical prices for todays families and fans. ![]() Concession stand was a "cafeteria" style line and went pretty quickly. Located three miles north of the Worlds Only Corn Palace in Mitchell, the Starlite is an authentic drive-in theatre built in 1949. Plenty of bathroom stalls, didn't have to wait in line even during the busy intermission time. ![]() The concession/bathroom building was also clean and well-laid out/organized. The grounds were insanely clean.I didn't see one speck of litter anywhere. I don't have much to compare the Starlite to as I had only been to one other drive-in in my whole life (and I was about 8 or 9 years old then).but I thought it was a very nice facility. We saw "The Change Up", "Cowboys & Aliens" but left during "Horrible Bosses" as we were both getting pretty tired by then (it was about 1:30 in the morning) and there was a thunderstorm rolling in. We went on a Friday night, when they have the triple feature (they show two movies on weeknights and three on weekends.). We snuggle down to await the movie and my father’s return from the snack bar-with hot donuts, just out of the machine.When I was looking for things to do in Wichita prior to our trip there to visit family, I stumbled across this gem.a drive-in movie theater! I mean, come on, who has these anymore?! It was on our "must-do" list. I still feel a child’s anticipation, as dusk falls on the playground under a colossal screen, and my mother calls me to the car. The theater and swap meet offered entertainment at night, and during the day a business venue, at a low price. The great number of hard working people eventually involved in the Starlite reflect the powerful and striving community of El Monte. After syndication, an entirely remote business controlled the quality of films. The drive-in was a culture-changing phenomenon, where on a large property open to the public after dark, incidents of the type depicted on the screen might sometimes be realized. This theater became many things to many people, and had difficulties peculiar to a business of its type. When market pressures forced drive-ins to syndicate, my father focused his intense drive on the swap meet. ![]() Eight extended family members of three generations eventually worked at the Starlite, along with many of the El Monte community. He and several siblings pooled savings to create the business. A tenant farmer through the depression, my father was consumed with the success of the Starlite, and rightly so. Hotels near Starlite Drive-in: (8.63 mi) Hampton Inn Cincinnati-Eastgate (8.99 mi) Holiday Inn & Suites Cincinnati-Eastgate (I-275E), an IHG Hotel (8.71 mi) Best Western Clermont (5.32 mi) 1861 Inn (8. This theater/swap meet was owned by my father and his brother, who started in the cinema business with the silents.
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