56 Drive-In
Highway 56 and Fairground Road,
Swainsboro,
GA
30401
Highway 56 and Fairground Road,
Swainsboro,
GA
30401
2 people
favorited this theater
Showing 19 comments
yes they visited the house of someone who is full of drive-in memorabilia it was in someones barn i can only assume this is where it came from!
I’m not seeing how this can be re-opened since the entrance road is now a driveway for a home that sits on the north side. It would take some major renovation, including a new screen and widening the existing access, to reopen this drive-in.
the projectors/concessions booth still stand along with the marquee and ramps!
I don’t remember the tv show American Pickers going there!!
A quick check of Google Maps shows that the screen is no longer there.
It’s for sale!
The above does not map correctly. If you use Google Maps, Hwy 56 & Fair Ground Rd will get you closer. The ramps are still visible about ¼ mile south of this intersection.
LAST I heard the screen was still standing, someone told me the show AMERICAN PICKERS visited there.
Thanks Mike for sharing out Drive-in and it’s stories! This little drive-in was my dad’s passion. He passed away last week!!! Everything still sits as it was, except for the screen. I did store the speakers for fear of theft. I spent a major part of my life there, and it was wonderful!!! NOTHING can compare to a DRIVE-IN THEATER!!!
“SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT” opens 5-27-77 at the Hi-Way 56 Drive-in.
certainly none around Augusta.“WANDA NEVADA” opens June 8 1979 in a State wide release.Day and Date.
I am looking for a drive-in theatre that I can renovate and reopen. Does anyone know of a theatre that is in somewhat sound condition that could be brought back to life?
Oct 2 1994,from the Augusta Chroncile, “AUGUSTANS HAVE KISSED DRIVE-IN GOODBYE.” After being open for three years the Bellamys Tommy Sr, and son Tony have closed the Hi Way 56 Drive-in.They got her going again in 1989.“We had loyal customers but not enough for ten people to come out and work every night on the weekends” said Mr.Bellamy. He said getting prints was a hard part of tracking them and getting them,plus one summer it was the area’s Wettest.“it rained every weekend” said Tony.On top of that right next door a local race track was opened drowning out the sound,your whole car would shake.
More on the August 1, 1989 story…..
The theatre today features the same screen,the same carbon-burning projectors,most of the original speakers and the same popcorn popper from the days of bobby socks,slicked-back hair and going steady.It is not surprizing that the older Bellamys decided to open a theatre and not some other business back in 1952.They spent their courting days in the Dixie theatre in Swainsboro.“we’d sit and hold hands watching a western over and over” said Tommy Bellamy Sr.He didn’t even know how to run a projector.“ i thought you just plugged it in and put the film in and it would run itself” He said “ I did not know all the work that was involved in it”
But trial and error eventually paid off,The Hi-Way 56 Drive-in showed popular movies,romanaces,comedies,Adventures and horror films became a success.
While the younger Bellamy Brothers will show what Tony describes as regular movies, such as “MAJOR LEAGUE” and “PET CEMETARY”.Admission is three dollars for everyone.Kids under 12 get in free. The Bellamys were surprized opening night by more than 225 cars that parked the lot on July 7 and 8 the friday and saturday nights the Drive-in Re-opened.“it is good to know people are happy about it.We could not believe it” said Mrs.Bellamy.
BROTHERS BRING 50’s BACK TO LIFE.
by Beth Harrison Augusta Chroncile
The marquee on Georgia 56 beckoned in red and green neon as twilight fell on the 50-foot high screen.
For the first time in 5 and a half years,cars rolled in to park beside speakers in an open field bordered with tiny orange lights.The concession building was filled with the small of popcorn and hot dogs. and once again carhops delivered food to hungry moviegoers.
When the country sky was dark enough,one of the two 37 year old projectors beamed an image across the field to the freshly painted screen. And with that the Hi-way 56 Drive-in was reborn.“we want to keep everything the way it was ” said Tony Bellamy,who is fond of anything and everything from the 50’s.
The July 7 reopening was the project of Tony,27, and his brother Tommy Bellamy Jr.33,-two brothers who grew up in the shadow of the huge screen.Their parents,Tommy sr, and Jeanette Bellamy opened the drive-in on Christmas day 1952 and ran it for 31 years.They closed it in 1983 when Tommy Sr,began to have health problems.“it was a Saturday night , i said,ladies and gentlemen this is the last night that we will be open until further notice,And we had a full house.I left the candy in the candy case and everything just like that.I knew something was happening to me”,Tommy ,Sr. said, He was having a heart attack and had bypass surgery.The drive-in lay dormat in almost perfect condition- for more than five years,Two months ago the brothers decided to re-open the Hi-way 56.
They spent $16,000 to recondition the screen and fix things up.“ the main reason we opened it was to give the kids a place to go!” said Tony,one of the six Bellamy kids.
More on the Hi-Way 56 drive-in will be added later.Thanks for reading this and to the Reporter Beth Harrison for getting down there to Swainsboro to get a story.Mike Rogers.
I just heard from Ray Hutto that Hi-Way 56 drive-in was on the cable show “AMERICAN PICKERS”.I somehow missed it. Wonder if anyone else saw it. They had Tony Bellamy on the show while they looked through theatre items to buy.
PLEASE CHANGE ADDRESS TO:
458 GA HIGHWAY 56 N.
The drive-in held ABOUT 208 autos.
If we had the money we could build the screen,Nick could run the booth and you could handle the concession and Box office; and i could be the manager.LOL.
Another great info Mike lets go get those speakers.