Alpena Drive-In Theatre

Info Updates:

1/15/2020 - Pete Poirier

I know they were open as of fall 1981. My older cousins went to see The Blue Lagoon Labor Day weekend.

7/1/2014 - Steve

The property has been renovated by a downstate investor. It is now called the Arzo Fun Park. Putt Putt, Cart Track, both reopened. There is a ferris wheel, carousel, arcade, driving range, bumper cars, etc.

11/4/2003 - WaterWinterWonderland

A recent site inspection revealed that the site of the old Alpena Drive-In is also the home of an abandoned putt-putt course, go-kart track and driving range. The screen would have been right about where the tees for the driving range are. The ramps are still visible on the lawn in the range as are some of the driveways.

6/18/2003 - Dave Rouleau

This theatre was Alpena’s first of two drive-ins, preceeding the Thunder-Bay by at least a season... it was also the first to close. From what I remember (and I could be wrong, Alex, but if I am, I’ll eat a bug), the theme was brown... The outline of the marquee (at least it wasn’t just a plain, white rectangle like the Thunder Bay’s), the trim on the ticket booth, concession stand, screen tower... heck, even some of the speakers. This theatre also ran exclusively on speaker sound. I didn’t attend this theatre that often ’cuz by the time I got my drivers license, they were showing X-rated films (I did see regular movies there towards the end, tho). In order to present adult fare, the theatre had bright lights placed in such a way as to prevent highway travellers from seeing the action on the screen and driving the Buick onto the go-cart track. One thing I noticed from my visits was that the intermission films were different from the Thunder Bay’s. I also took notice when some of my drive-in’s clips were retired and replaced with ones from the Alpena DI (you killed my clock... yoooo bastards!). I guess they don’t sell a lot of Yoo-Hoo during porn... Any-hoo, the bulk of the replacement clock reel from the Alpena DI was the one featuring the kooky OPTIGAN organ music (again, this can be seen on Tim Reed’s tape). Good Lord, I can still hear those "bleeps" and "blurps" in my sleep.

HomeDrive-In TheatersAlpena Drive-In Theatre - Alpena, MI

Alpena Drive-In Theatre