End of an Era? Only Three Drive-in Theaters Remain in New Mexico

It saddens me to think that drive-in theaters are becoming a thing of the past in New Mexico and all across America. Generations got to experience these outdoor theaters at their peak, but eventually, their popularity declined and drive-ins began shutting down.

Visiting a drive-in is something I think about doing often, but unfortunately, there are none around where I live. I wish I had more memories of visiting these outdoor theaters, curled up in my car with snacks and blankets while the movie sounded on the radio. However, I only have one memory of visiting a drive-in theater around 2010.

According to driveinmovie.com, New Mexico's drive-in theaters peaked in the 1950s with around 50 theaters in the state. At its lowest, the state only had one drive-in theater. Today, drive-ins are still far and few between, but New Mexico has gained some back.

The state of New Mexico's drive-in theaters today

If you want to go to a drive-in theater in New Mexico, you now have three choices instead of only one.

The oldest of the three is Fort Union Drive-in in Las Vegas, NM. The theater opened in the 1950s, and it has a single-screen with a capacity of a little more than 300.

In 2020, The Badlands Drive-in opened in Los Lunas, NM. This single-screen drive-in is owned by the local government and has a capacity of about 100.

The newest drive-in theater was opened in 2021, called Park and View, in Tijeras, NM. Also a single-screen theater, this particular location was opened in response to Covid-19 restrictions, giving people something to do while keeping their distance. The theater still has shows 4 times per month and has a capacity of about 100.

Why are drive-in theaters disappearing?

At one point there were thousands of drive-in theaters across the U.S., according to the New York Film Academy. For a while, they were seen as a place where the whole family could enjoy a film together.

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Some things that led to the theater's downfall could be their dependence on good weather; people downsizing vehicles in the 70s due to the oil crisis, giving families less car space; beginning to show non-family-friendly movies; and even the development of the VCR, among other things.

I for one would love to see drive-in theaters make more of a comeback. The only time I did get to enjoy one quickly became one of my favorite memories. Today, I fear it is less practical to open drive-in theaters, but I really wish more people would do it!