Dixie Gardens Drive-In
1665 Dixie Highway,
Fort Wright,
KY
41011
1665 Dixie Highway,
Fort Wright,
KY
41011
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Is the Dixie Gardens Ice Bowl skating rink still there? Is there anything on this former drive-in theatre site now?
Boxoffice, Aug. 24, 1970: “Richard P. Ernst Realty Co., owner of the Dixie Drive-In and the Florence Drive-In, has announced that it will sell the two ozoners to Redstone Theatres of Boston. Both drive-ins were opened in 1946.”
Better quality grand below (click on it)
Does anyone remember being at the Drive-In the night Beverly Hills burned down? If my memory serves me, and it may not in this case, I seem to remember being there that fateful night and being able to see the flames, or the smoke. I’m really stretching here, but I’m thinking King Kong was playing.
Oh, and since we took the exit next to it coming up the hill we would always nonchalantly try to catch a glimpse and see if something sexy was on!
I grew up just a couple miles away. My friends and I saw many movies there growing up. I didn’t like ice skating, or more truthfully, ice falling, but my sisters skated a lot. Nothing like hanging out with your friends on a warm night watching a movie.
Like a few people said, it’s sad this type of thing is gone. I remember when it burned but was totally surprised when they tore down the ice rink.
July 3rd, 1947 grand opening ad in photo section
Having been born and living in South Ft Mitchell, KY (from 1949-1956), I can vividly recall many trips with my family to this fantastic drive-in on Dixie Hwy! I have been searching the web for ANY images of this theater, but have found absolutely NOTHING of importance. I have noticed however, that several members leaving comments above stated having actually worked there and of having photographs. PLEASE, if you do … I am sure that the original resident fans and other drive-in theater enthusiasts nationwide would LOVE enjoying and sharing those images. These photographs would be of great historical reference. Please consider ~ Thanks!
Aerial from 1960.
hey Glen4172..Can you post any of the pictures you have? Have any of the drive-in?
I had the honor of being the last projectionist to work at this wonderful drive-in. I still have many of the speakers and reels in my possession. Several photos adorn the walls of my basement museum that pays homage to many of the theatres that I worked at in my youth.
Hey Norman. If your dad was slingin the burgers and your mom was working concession, then they waited on me and my family. We used to go up to the Dixie Gardens in the early 70’s when we lived in Covington. I remember the drive in well. Those were some of my favorite times. :)
I also used to go skating at the ice rink in the 80’s.
It is so sad those times can never be appreciated by younger people today.
At that time the place was really hopping, it got so bad dad had to hire help. So my mother started working the concession stands… And then her brother was hired to help cook. And then another of her brothers and her mother! Grandpa complained about sitting home at night while grandma worked the drive-in. So dad “created” a position for him, “Patrolman”. He gave him a flashlight and told him to walk the lot during the movie and keep an eye out for trouble. hahaha… At this time period crime in Ft. Wright was about as scarce as hen’s teeth. But it put a little money in his pocket and gave him something to do. Mom has a pic of dad working the grill somewhere. If I can get her to find it, I’ll post it here.
Although I don’t remember much of it as a young child, my father used to manage Dixie Gardens Drive-In in the late 60’s/early 70’s. He was a working manager though not like today when they all hide in the back office. He was busy every night slingin' those burgers and fries and of course the popcorn!
Correction:
The drive-in’s last season was in 1988. There were plans to reopen the theater in the summer of 1990, however the screen was burned down in April of that year. The cause was arson. The drive-in was demolished in the fall of 1990 and the ice rink was destroyed a few years later. This theater went down in a blaze of glory!