Drive-in movies have made a resurgence this holiday season!

This is a general post about drive-in theaters in metro Atlanta — scroll down for info on the Christmas Eve showings at the Springs Cinema and Plaza Theatre drive-in locations.

Metro Atlanta only has one permanent drive-in movie theater, the Starlight. But there are now a few pop-up drive-ins that operate in parking lots. Some are for-profits trying to stay afloat by adjusting their business model. Others pop-up drive-ins are offering FREE community events.

Below is a current list of all metro Atlanta drive-in movie theaters.

NOTE: At the very bottom of the post, you’ll find a day-by-day listing of what’s playing at the drive-in (except for The Starlight, which we can’t keep up with!) Please double-check dates and times before you head out.

If you know of a pop-up drive-in that should be listed here, please email editor@atlantaonthecheap.com

You may also be interested in:

• Lights of Life drive-thru holiday attraction in Marietta
• Discounts for Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Gardens
• Discounts for Stone Mountain Christmas
• Garden Lights, Holiday Nights at the Atlanta Botanical Garden

Pop-up Drive-in Movie Theaters

 The Springs Cinema & Taphouse

Parkside Shopping Center
5920 Roswell Rd.
Sandy Springs, GA 30328
$28 for 2 people + $7 for additional people (up to $49)

This theater is open for inside viewing, but has added the drive-in option for those who need to play it safe for health reasons. The drive-in is open on Friday and Saturday nights. You can have food delivered to your car — but keep in mind that the restrooms are inside the main facility.
The theater is currently showing holiday movies for November and December.
Details here–we have a separate page for this theater

Starlight Drive-in

2000 Moreland Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30316
Adults: $10
Kids age 5-9: $1

The Starlight Drive-in is open nightly. This is a Atlanta’s only permanent drive-in theater.

Ticket prices are for double features. That means you’ll get to see two movies that are playing on the same screen (you can’t move to another screen after your first movie).

Show times vary with the seasons. Right now, the first movie starts at 9:30 p.m., and the second film starts sometime after 11 p.m.Know before you go:

• Parking spaces are first-come, first-served, so plan to arrive early to get a good spot and avoid long ticket lines.
• You must park at least ten feet away from another vehicle.
• You must view the movie from inside  your vehicle (no lawn chairs).
• The snack bar is open, but of course you can bring your own snacks (no alcohol). 
• When you leave your vehicle to visit the snack bar or restroom, you should practice social distancing. Masks are recommended for these areas.

Audio:
The audio for the movies is broadcast through an FM transmitter — so you need a working FM radio and there’s no way around that. You’ll need a car battery that’s strong enough to power your radio with your engine turned off during the show. (You can run your car’s engine at intermission, but please keep headlights off.) If you run down your battery, you can get a FREE jump start on the premises.

Movie titles and showtimes are listed on the website. Please verify this info before you head out!

Plaza Theatre (two pop-up locations)

Plaza Theatre
1049 Ponce de Leon Ave
Atlanta, GA 30306

Plaza @ Dad’s Garage
569 Ezzard St SE
Atlanta, GA 30312

$15 for one person in a car
$28 for two people
$39 for three people
$48 for four people
$50 for five people or more in one car

Atlanta’s Plaza Theatre has has opened a pop-up drive-in theater in the back parking lot — and is operating another pop-up experience at Dad’s Garage, in the Old 4th Ward.

Tickets sell out fast and well in advance — the Plaza’s midtown location accommodates only 43 cars in its back parking lot, while the Dad’s Garage location holds 53 cars.

Pricing starts at $15 for one person, and each additional person gets a discount after that. It maxes out at $50 for five people in a vehicle.

Know before you go:

•  According to Eater Atlanta, local restaurants are delivering food to the movie locations.
•  Concessions are delivered to your car after you order online (outside food is also allowed)
•  You must remain in your car — no lawn chairs or picnic blankets allowed.
•  Masks are required to enter the restroom.
•  Movies are canceled during very bad weather.

  You can read a full description here of what to expect and which safety measures are required of you.

Audio:
You need FM radio, either in your car or via a battery-powered portable unit.

Buy tickets and view the movie schedule here

Visit the Plaza Theatre Facebook page

The AJC wrote an entertaining report about the technical and logistical challenges of getting this operation up and running. 

Day-by-day list of drive-in and outdoor movies:

Seasonal content — Community pop-up drive-ins

We’ll update this section in spring of 2021 when the community events start happening again!

Select dates and locations

We’re seeing that some communities are replacing their usual summer film series with a few drive-in experiences. For example, Cobb County is showing Aladdin on multiple nights as a FREE drive-in movie, and the Avenue East Cobb is showing The Grinch at an X-mas in July drive-in event.

We’re building a list of these community drive-in events. Note that some require registration because of limited capacity, and they may fill up very quickly, particularly if they are free.
Calendar of outdoor movies

NEW! Aurora Cineplex

5100 Commerce Parkway
Roswell, GA 30076
$29.95 per vehicle

The theater is open for inside viewing as well. The next pop-up experience happens every Friday night in September, with four classic ’80s movies. You can bring lawn chairs, food is available, and you can come early for a discount on the miniature golf course that’s adjacent.
Details here

UPDATED on 9/9/20:
The AJC reports that the Plaza Theatre is now open for inside viewing, for the first time since the lockdown began last spring. Only 50 seats will be sold per screening, with distance in between groups. The movie Tenet is now playing several times per day. Visit PlazaAtlanta.com for showtimes — or scroll down for info on the Plaza’s pop-up drive-in experience.

NOTE: There is a half-price Groupon deal for Plaza movie tickets.