Santa Barbara Drive-In
907 S. Kellogg Avenue,
Goleta,
CA
93117
907 S. Kellogg Avenue,
Goleta,
CA
93117
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This theater is closed again. Last day was September 5, 2022:
Goleta, CA: West Wind Santa Barbara Drive-In Closed [Sep 9, 2022]
Yes, this was a twin when it originally operated from 1966 until 1991.
Did it demolish right after closure?
Now closed closed forever in September 2022 also both screens appear to be down. please sadly update!
For the record it was never “West Wind Drive-In” it was always the “Santa Barbara Drive-In”, it just so happened to be owned by West Wind Drive-Ins so the logos may have been prevalent.
Reopened in 2020. Website and Facebook page below.
https://www.westwinddi.com/locations/santa-barbara-di
https://www.facebook.com/SantaBarbaraDI/?tn=%2Cd%2CP-R&eid=ARAF1EyhEjsA87CKBiaQZQF1vt9Xah4TpBgrqq1IMrWEsMKWhIoyT09bEItUiuR2OElFT-1qvKCKpv-D
The theater closed April 19, 2019:
Goleta, CA: West Wind Santa Barbara Drive-In Closed — Apr 19, 2019
Yes. The southern screen had suffered damage from a storm. Since it faced the screen that was used only for the flea market, it was torn down.
Did they remove one of the screens at some point?
Just chatted with members of The Southern California Drive-In Movie Society this past weekend while visiting The Mission Tiki of Montclair, CA. They confirmed that Goleta’s drive-in experiment is a seasonal thing designed to test its business potential throughout this summer; and aren’t sure if it will remain open beyond August. Or if it will continue through September. It greatly depends on the amount of business they pull in. Having typed that, I now encourage everyone reading this post (especially those with the ability for doing so) to patronize The Santa Barbara Twin much as possible over the next couple months. Some extra trips could mean the difference between a refurbished reopening next year…or, its big screen going dark forever.
Visited this venue on 6/5/2010 for “Prince o'Persia” and “Shrek 4ever After.” The place seems like it’s half drive-in, half swap meet; the second screen is gone while its lot serves as grounds for Sunday swap meets. The operating drive-in is a bit run-down; the grounds haven’t been paved in decades. Seems like the owners tried to save as much $$$$ as possible to get it re-opened. The snack bar is a mix of new amenties on top of vintage tile, paint & stylings. But overall, this provides a throw-back feel for your visit; a sense of nostalgia. A lot of good ideas were implemented into the original design & construction of this site, with the exception of that entrance coming in right under the screen, thus causing for distractions as late-arrivals pull in during a movie. Still, I enjoyed myself; like this place all right; and have every intention of returning for future features. Really glad this place is operating as an actual drive-in again!
Great that it has reopened as of May 7,2010.
Santa Barbara just made my “Top 5 Places To Travel” list! :)
Good luck!!! Long live the drive in.
Hey that’s great another dark D I screen is firing up again tonight with the debut of Iron Man 2 after 2 decades of nothing. Drive ins either new or old, opening or re-opening, are going to be the Aids Virus of Multiplexes. They do not want you to go outside they want you inside where they can sell you over priced concessions. Drive Ins are able to show both 35 and 70mm format. Of course 70mm is the best there is and the studios know it. If I owned my own fresh start up D I I would go 70mm all the way. Imagine watching a towering movie with DTS 6 Track Sound pumping out your car speakers. Hey Santa Barbara, California, I wish you all the luck in the world with your newly reopened D I tonight.
I should also note that the screen as been repainted just for the Drive-In, it is no longer dirty as is shown in the 2008 photo.
It is in fact reopening on FRI May 7, 2010. Iron Man 2 will show at 8:00pm and 10:25pm on FRI, SAT & SUN and starting Monday it will become a double feature with How to Train Your Dragon.
General Admission is $6.75 – Children 3-11 are $1.00. On Tuesdays General Admission is $4.75.
More info at www.westwinddi.com
While the parking area could use a fresh paving I’m sure that’s something that will come in time should the drive-in be a success. As for the rest of the property it has been spruced up leaps and bounds since West Wind took it over, take a look at Cinematour.
http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/10876.html
I just drove by this drive-in on Sunday (5/2/2010), right after the swap meet had closed for the day, and saw no theater marquee, signs, posters or any other indication that films will begin showing there in the near future. The property looks intact, but there was no evidence of it having been spruced up for a grand(?) re-opening. I certainly hope it DOES re-open to become a full-time movie theater again. Is there any new information about this yet?
The Santa Barbara Drive-In will be reopening on FRI May 7, 2010 to show Iron Man 2. More info to come.
Likely the projectors were taken out a long time ago – although, one never knows; I recently found out there’s at least one film projector in the disused booth at the Ventura Theatre, slightly further down the coast.
Far as drive-ins go, the place looks intact. Having said that… Could there ever be the most remote chance that movies might be shown at this drive-in again? Even as a rare/special event??
Here is part of a February 1966 article in the LA Times:
SANTA BARBARA-A Los Angeles company won the right Tuesday to build a drive-in movie theater just east of the municipal airport and under the airport’s east-west flight plan. The county building department issued a permit to Lippert Inc. despite vehement protests from city officials.
Opponents asserted that the theater would post a hazard to pilots and stymie full development of the airport for jet plane use. The county board of supervisors had cleared the way for issuance of the building permit by rejecting a request to have the project temporarily blocked. The supervisors pointed out that the 13-acre site on S. Kellogg Ave. was properly zoned for a drive-in theater under city action several years ago.
The concession stand is still there as of April 2008:
http://www.agilitynut.com/08/4/godi.jpg
The Santa Barbara Twin Drive-In was originally built by Vincent Raney for Syufy Enterprises. I don’t know if Syufy ever actually ran it, but shortly after its construction it was traded to what became Metropolitan Theatres in exchange for the Geneva Drive-In in Daly City/San Francisco, CA.
After the lease with Metropolitan expired, it reverted back to Syufy which operates it now as the West Wind Goleta Public Market. Many upgrades to the property are in the works.
I worked at the original Airport Drive in theater on Hollister Ave. Goleta, Calif. I worked the ticket booth. one special time we had two or three actors show up for the premeire of GIANT.
Chill Wills was one of them. i loved working for that company i have many great memories. I lived in Goleta, Calif since 1938. anyone else around who remembers the drive in back in the early years ?
nancy ann smith
now in Oregon