Haar's Drive-In
185 Logan Road,
Dillsburg,
PA
17019
185 Logan Road,
Dillsburg,
PA
17019
7 people
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New Owner has granted the Haars family a 10 year lease so the Drive In is safe for now. https://www.pennlive.com/life/2021/04/businessmans-emotional-purchase-will-allow-haars-drive-in-to-keep-making-memories-for-area-residents.html
And yet again, the big-box money A-holes take another piece of our memories. Where was GIANT foods when my buddies and I were at the Drive-In watching the movies we embraced and loved! Getting ready to take over and run their F-ing robot through the aisles.
Giant Food Stores bought the Drive In and adjacent Auction House property from the Haar’s family heirs in 2003 for 2.9 Million Dollars which came with a long term leaseback back to the Haar’s family to operate the Drive In. Giant Foods overpaid to keep Walmart out since Giant Foods had just opened a brand food store adjacent to the Drive In. Walmart subsequently found a nearby tract on which to build ….. which is why the Drive In in now listed for sale by Giant Foods. The asking price is 2.2 Million. If the Haars family cares that much why dont they repurchase?
There is already a Change.org petition called “Save Haars Drive-Movie Theatre”
would be a shame if it closed.
Haar’s leases its land, and that landowner has put up a For Sale sign. Nobody has been able to get the landowner on record, but Haar’s’s (how do you type that?) owner Vickie Hardy said she was “completely caught off-guard” by the development. WHTM ran a news story with plenty of great views of the drive-in.
Vance Haar and the family were the owners of the drive-in, as well as the adjacenet auction house and roller rink.
Opened on 18/6/1953 with 3 cartoons(not named), “Gold raiders” and “Africa screams”.
Why the name Haar’s?
Smaller in size and no longer in the 2.35:1 ratio for wide screen “Cinemascope” formatted movies without cropping top and bottom or the sides.
The new screen sure shrunk in size.
https://www.facebook.com/haarspadrivein/photos/pb.506999386030438.-2207520000.1469323457./1136323086431395/?type=3&theater
New Selby screen tower going up. 7/20/2016
The old screen is already down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqgxqeNyHpk
Haar’s is getting a new Screen Tower in July. They are replacing the wooden one.
THE SIGN FOR HAARS WHEN PASSING ON RT 15 SAYS THEY ARE OPENING FOR THE SEASON THIS WEEKEND (MAY 13-14) WITH A DISNEY DOUBLE-BILL.
NOTHING SAYS SUMMER IS COMING ON BETTER THAN WHEN HAARS OPENS; IT HAS BEEN THE PERENNIAL FIXTURE FOR DILLSBURG FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER; I CAN’T BEGIN TO REMEMBER ALL THE MOVIES I SAW THERE, BUT CERTAINLY THE FIRST WAS “THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH”
WHEN I WAS A KID, THE DRIVE-IN RAN 7 NIGHTS A WEEK IN THE SUMMER, ALWAYS A DOUBLE FEATURE, EXCEPT FOR HOLIDAYS WITH THE “DUSK TO DAWN” SHOWS. ON SUMMER EVENINGS,VANCE HAAR WOULD TRAVEL AROUND DILLSBURG IN A WONDERFUL WOODY STATION WAGON EQUIPPED WITH A PA SYSTEM, AND, LIKE OUR VERY OWN CARNY PITCHMAN, WOULD BALLYHOO US INTO COMING TO THE DRIVE-IN FOR THE EVENING.
WHEN YOU GOT THERE FOR WHATEVER THE FEATURE (MOST TIMES IT DIDN’T MATTER— IT WAS A MOVIE!) THERE WERE SWINGS AND SLIDES FOR US KIDS UNTIL IT GOT CLOSE TO DUSK AND THE “3 MINUTE COUNTDOWN CLOCK” BEFORE THE SHOW SENT US SCURRYING TO OUR CARS AND SEEMED TO TAKE FOREVER UNTIL THE SHOW BEGAN.
WHEN THE FIRST FEATURE ENDED, THERE WERE PREVIEWS OF COMING ATTRACTIONS, AND THEN THE 10 MINUTE INTERMISSION REEL, WITH ADS FOR ALL THE LOCAL BUSINESSES, AS WELL AS THE DANCING POPCORN BOXES. (AT THIS POINT IT WAS IMPERATIVE TO WHINE AND CONVINCE THE PARENTS TO STAY FOR THE NEXT FEATURE—NO MATTER WHAT IT WAS)
IN THE TEEN YEARS, BEFORE HAVING A CAR, THERE WAS ALWAYS THE ELEVATED BLEACHERS AT THE BACK OF THE DRIVE-IN, AND MANY A LESSON IN COMING OF AGE WAS LEARNED THERE!
HAARS DRIVE-IN IS IMPORTANT TO THE DILLSBURG COMMUNITY, NOT JUST BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN HERE FOR 63 YEARS, BUT BECAUSE IT IS THE LAST OF AN ICONIC AMERICAN LANDMARK—THE DRIVE-IN THEATRE, A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN GET OUT THE LAWNCHAIRS AND WATCH A MOVIE UNDER THE STARS.
BEST WISHES TO HAARS ON ANOTHER GREAT SEASON, AND HOPE YOU’LL BE AROUND FOR ANOTHER 60 YEARS.
What a huge screen.
Vance W. Haar secured materials from the National Production Authority (NPA) to construct a drive-in and move from traveling film projectionist to s permanent spot. The $100,000 investment was worth it as the 500-car ozoner launched June 18, 1953 with Abbott & Costello’s “Africa Screams” on the big screen. 60 years later, the drive-in was still going, was in the hands of third generation Haar’s, and had a digital conversion. “Grease” is generally the closing feature and sells out the season-ender. A long running antique market and an annual auto show are part of the drive-in’s other attractions.
Great drive in. The only one in the area. They always show first run movies. The concession stand is great! I would like a 3rd movie added sometimes. The “Grease” event was a special showing that I went to. The place was packed by 7 pm. If you go here go early. This drive in fills up fast. Its worth the wait for the movie to start.
Here is a you tube video
Couple of interesting videos of Haar’s Drive In currently on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPjg9u3DfMs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfuJgmyItLI
Looks like they have decided to put some money into the placeZ:
[url]http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/04/haars_drive-in_near_dillsburg.html[/url]
i think that the haar’s staff always give an inviting experience. to whitewash the screen, it would cost thousands of dollars, and if you haven’t realized, its over 55 years old. they’re not gonna give it up until the screen falls. the screen still gives great surface to play movies that everyone loves to go see. and like you said, it must not be causing problems if the place is packed everynight. i really don’t think the place looks uninviting; it looks its age.. so..
I saw that story on WGAL.com too, and if they are having problems it may be because the place looks so uninviting. Take a look at that screen. I saw it a few months ago and thought “I guess they’ll whitewash it when the season starts.†I drove by again the first week of the season. No change. Looks like it hasn’t been painted in years. It’s those things that make people think you don’t care and once lost, they don’t come back. They show double-features of two first-run movies, at a reasonable price, in what is becoming a heavily-populated area 15 miles southwest of Harrisburg. They’re open only on weekends, and in previous seasons the place is packed every night. If they’re losing money on concessions because people bring their own stuff, well hasn’t that always been an issue for drive-ins? Perhaps they need to look at the service they are providing as an issue. The family that runs it was paid generously for that property. They can certainly afford to have a clean, white screen. As one of only two remaining DI’s in the Harrisburg metro area, they shouldn’t be hurting. I would hate to see Haar’s close, but if they can’t make going there an inviting experience, give it up.