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History of Our Drive-in
The Drive-in was originally named Parkside, due to its close proximity to the Pearson Metropark and began operation as a single-screen drive-in on April 27, 1949. Between 1941 and 1955, Northwest Ohio had eight drive-ins: Lake Erie/Maumee (1941), Telegraph (1946), Toledo/Franklin Park (1946), Parkside/Sundance Kid (1948), East Side/Woodville/Butch Cassidy (1949), Jesse James (1953), Miracle Mile (1954), and the Star-Lite (1955).
The Toledo Drive-Ins began closing starting with the Star-Lite Drive-In located on Monroe Street in Sylvania in 1969, and the majority of drive-ins closing in the 1980s.
In 1979, the second screen was added at the rear of the property giving the Parkside Drive-In "twin-screens". Management rights of the Parkside Drive-In transferred by sale to Great Eastern Theatre Company in 1987.
The Parkside Drive-In was renamed the “Sundance Kid Drive-In” as part of a multi-theater naming convention theme that included other local drive-ins including the “Butch Cassidy Drive-In” on Woodville Road and the “Jesse James Drive-In” on Reynolds Road.
In 2001, the drive-in box offices and marquee were updated with the expansion of Route 2.
Today
Th Sundance Kid Drive-In operated from 1987 until 2022. For 35 years, the Sundance played host to countless guests and millions of memories! As the sun sets on the Sundance, know we will never forget its legacy and what it means to the community.
Tomorrow
Save Our Screen and community have worked hard and the Parkside Drive-In plans to return in Spring 2023! While we will operate and preserve the drive-in, our mission is not over. We must still continue to work on our permanent preservation of the drive-in.