Sante Fe Springs Swap Meet & Drive-In

No, no movies. Just once a year we show a movie. (Our operating permit says we are an operating drive-in. But the permit doesn’t specify how OFTEN we have to show one.)

Well… it was both a swap meet AND a drive-in for many, many years. I can recall working at the swap meet in the late 1970s and all of us having to work like crazy to get the place cleaned up in time, after the swap closed, before the drive-in opened. During the summer that wasn’t so bad, since it gets dark much later… we had more time. But during the winter it was a nightmare.

However, if you want to know the name of the last movie shown before the drive-in closed permanently (other than the once-a-year special showing), I don’t know the answer to that. I suspect a careful review of old Los Angeles newspaper movie listing ads would eventually reveal the answer.

Reminder: Each year the La Mirada Drive-in (now called the Santa Fe Springs Drive-In) reopens for just two nights a year. This year those nights are Monday, November 8th and Tuesday, November 9th.

Just like last year, I will not be the manager on duty. (Although I still work for the company, I no longer work at the swap meet/drive-in.)

Admission is almost certainly still $5.00 per car.

Bring the kids and enjoy the show!

Santa Fe Springs Drive-In
13963 Alondra Boulevard
Santa Fe Springs, California 90670
(562) 921-4359

Here is a b&w photo:
http://tinyurl.com/y8469ro

My Folks took us kids to La Mirada Drive-In often in the 50’s & 60’s. I have fond memories of The Swap-O-Rama on the weekends in 1969. I used to help this old Hippie dude sell[anyone remember] The flower power wired plastic flowers or black light posters, Lava Lamps? There was a house that went along side of the entrance. The family that lived there, The daughter was good friends with my older sister, and from time to time we’d get in for free.On Monday or Tuesdays {I can’t remember} it was a Buck a carload. We saw a lot of good flicks back then.When movies were really made to watch, and be entertained= La Mirada still ROCKS!!!!!

For the record, as it does every fall, the Santa Fe Springs Drive-in reopens again, for two nights only. This year that’s tonight (Monday) and tomorrow night (Tuesday)!

This year’s movies are “Nanny McPhee” and “Evan Almighty.”

Admission is $5.00 per car.

This year I will NOT be the manager on duty. (Although I still work for the company, I no longer work at the swap meet.)

Bring the kids and enjoy the show!

Santa Fe Springs Drive-In
13963 Alondra Boulevard
Santa Fe Springs, California 90670
(562) 921-4359

Here is an excerpt from an LA Times article dated 9/21/75:

The La Mirada Drive-In, which is actually located in the city of Santa Fe Springs, has become what municipal planners proudly call “a multiple land use”. On weekdays it is a Park and Ride facility for the Southern California Rapid Transit District. On weekends, the drive-in is transformed into one of the most successful swap meets in Southern California, the legendary Swap-O-Rama. The La Mirada Drive-In also shows movies.

Hi Debbie,

Please note that we only show movies at the La Mirada Drive-in (now called the Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet & Drive-In) once a year… usually for two consecutive days, in September or October.

The only photos I have of the drive-in would all be current. I have nothing prior to 1999. But I would also be interested in seeing old photos of the either the drive-in or the swap meet.

Ed Collins
Assistant Manager
Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet

An ad from 1975 shows this running a triple feature of porn.

Wow people still miss the ol'days i love going to the LA MIRADA drive in.Dont like the name change thought.I wish we could get back some of those great things we’ve lost over time.Ill never forget sitting in the riverbed with my am radio watching the movies for free.I still remember the movies in the car too.To bad times have to change well keeep the sprit alive in you thoughts PEACE OUT…….SKUNK

Thank you Ross. That information is correct. In fact, I will be the manager working both of those evenings. I’ve been a manager at the swap meet for the past 5 ½ years and I’m usually the one who runs our summer drive-in event. (Most likely because of my experience working as a movie theatre manager for SRO back in the early ‘80s.)

I think our most entertaining drive-in night was back in 1999, when we presented “Grease” starring John Travolta and Oliva Newton-John. Many of our patrons arrived in classic cars and during intermission we had an Elvis impersonator entertain our small crowd!

Alas, the Santa Fe Springs Drive-in capacity is not anywhere near what it used to be. I’m sorry to say that we have, at best, room for maybe 25 cars. This is because hundreds of permanent buildings and storage containers are now located inside the grounds. (Along with nearly as many tarps and canopies!) These structures are used by our weekend swap meet vendors to store their merchandise.

If you come out either evening, ask for me. I’d be happy to chat with you for a moment or two!

Over 55 years ago, in 1948, 18 acres of land was purchased and construction began on what was to be known as the “La Mirada Drive-In Theatre.” At the time, the land consisted of a dairy and an orange orchard. The area was unincorporated and known as “Dairy Valley.” This was prior to the existence of the city of Santa Fe Springs and thus the name “La Mirada” was chosen since that was the nearest city to this location.

In 1950, two years later, the large, single-screen theatre first opened for business. It was one of the largest drive-in theatres in the country, with the capacity to hold approximately 1,000 cars.

One unique aspect of the theatre design was that a large area in front of the grounds, between the screen tower and the front of the street, was reserved with the idea of building walk-in theatres, restaurants, or other future projects. There was even some speculation to build a “heli-port” and set up a helicopter transportation service to transport executives from La Mirada/Downey to downtown Los Angeles. For whatever reason, this idea never quite materialized.

This was all prior to the construction of the Santa Ana Freeway (I-5) which now runs directly south of the property.

15 years later, in 1965, the “La Mirada Swap Meet” opened for the first time… and has been open continously ever since. The dirt field in front of the property became an ideal parking area for the thousands of visitors who would eventually attend the swap meet. Attendance of more than 600 daily vendors and more than 1,500,000 customers annually has become common throughout the years.

In 1990, with the advent of multi-plex theatres and the general decline of drive-in movie theatre attendance, coupled with the popularity of the swap meet, the drive-in was closed (with the exception of special events) and stadium lighting installed. Doing so enabled the drive-in to open up the first Los Angeles area outdoor/night-time swap meet “under the lights!” Currently the swap meet is open five days a week… during the day Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, and during the evenings on Friday from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

In the early ‘90s the name was changed to “Santa Fe Springs Drive-In Theatre and Swap Meet” to more accurately reflect the actual location. The drive-in and swap meet are owned and operated by Newport Diversified, Inc. Since 1999, the drive-in has re-opened for two nights each year, during the summer.