Woodzo Drive-In
1026 W. Highway 25 70,
Newport,
TN
37821
1026 W. Highway 25 70,
Newport,
TN
37821
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The Woodzo Drive-In was one of three drive-ins in the small town of Newport during the 1970’s, and I think the longest lasting. It was located at 1026 West Highway 25 70, which was on the left side of the highway if you were driving towards Newport.
Opened in 1965, the Woodzo Drive-In was located right next door to the Scenic Drive-In, and is the only place I have ever seen two separate drive-ins being literally adjacent to each other. The Woodzo Drive-In closed in 1998. The projector from the Woodzo Drive-In was refurbished, and is now being used at the Stardust Drive-In in Watertown, TN.
Contributed by
Bob Brown
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Recent comments (view all 20 comments)
Great picture of the screen, see no Wal-Mart yet,bet there is not left of the Newport Drive-in right beside it.If you look quick you can see it from I-40 in the Winter.
No sign of the Newport when I was there last Wednesday. The field of the Woodzo is extremely overgrown save for the gravel car paths. It was impossible to get much of a picture of the back of the screen.
Woodzo was always called Woodzo. Remnants of the large metal sign on the ground can be found at the entrance to your right just as you go across the curbed entrance. This sign was destroyed by a microburst in the early 2000s. Harold Smith (owner) passed away the week that titanic came to Woodzo. The following summer was its last. The theatre beside (behind) the Woodzo was the Scenic and it did show some interesting movies. The Newport theatre comprised the now parking lot and buildings that Krystals shares. (The intersection of the first redlight as you come into Newport from the Woodzo). It was closed to make way for this shopping complex about 1984. The Scenic drive in name was changed to Newport and reopened in the mid 80s, closed around 1990?. The ticket booth and whats left of the screen can still be seen. The projector/concession building was demolished in 2004 after the roof collapsed. If you go up on the hill just behind the Woodzo (turn at the BP station) where the Rescue Squad building is you can get a decient view of the Woodzo layout. Harold Smith was my neighbor for many years and I enjoyed his company and I can still hear him over the intercom saying “your pizzas ready”. I miss those days…
GreaT Comment mrkevt,just drove by Labor day weekend.Grown up,Snakey for sure,but Screen is up.
Drove by there a few months ago,,Screen is still standing…
SCREEN still standing can see it from I-40..
Hey guys! I stumbled upon your website while doing research on the Woodzo for our podcast. We’ll share it here if anyone would like to listen. Feedback is greatly appreciated.
In the few days since we released this one, we’ve gotten all kinds of info about the theater, so we’re looking at making either a part 2 or even a short documentary film about our beloved Woodzo.
https://soundcloud.com/aneveningwith/an-evening-withwoodzo-drive-in-memories
December 2016 Google Street view the Screen is still standing and there is some form of marquee still standing, whether it was from the Woodzo or Newport I do not know. Aerial view shows the projection booth/concession stand is still there as well.
Odd name!! Why the name Woodzo?
Screen is still standing as of August 2022.