Go See Your Next Movie in Style at These Drive in Theaters Near Augusta
Did you know that there are only 300 drive-in movie theaters left in the United States? 8 of them are between Georgia and South Carolina. The first drive-in opened on June 6, 1933, near Camden, New Jersey. Now every June 6 is recognized as National Drive-in Movie Day.
Lucky for us in Augusta and surrounding areas, we do have 2 that are an hour or less from the CSRA. That is the Monetta Drive-in Theater and 25 Drive-in Auto Theater.
The Monetta drive-in also known as The Big Mo is about 40-50 minutes from Augusta, Ga. Today, June 6, is actually this drive-in movie’s 90th birthday.
Schedule for this weekend:
Friday, Saturday & Sunday June 9, 10 & 11
(Shows start at dark, 8:45-9:00.)
Main Field: “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” with “Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3” (both rated PG-13)
Screen 2: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (PG) with “Fast X” (PG-13)
Screen 3: “The Little Mermaid” (PG) with “The Boogeyman” (PG-13)
Gates open at 7:00 PM (earlier if necessary).
The first show on each field starts between 8:45 and 9:00 PM.
Prices:
Cash only at the box office:
Adults (12 & over) – $10
Kids (4 to 11) – $5
Little Kids (3 & under) – no charge
25 Drive-in Auto Theater is located in Greenwood County, SC. This theater is about an hour out from Augusta.
Schedule for this weekend:
Screen one:
8:50 Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
11:30 Fast X PG-13
Screen Two:
8:50 The Little Mermaid
11:15 The Boogeyman
Screen Three:
8:50 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
11:00 Super Mario Brothers
Prices:
$5 for ages 3-11
$10 for ages 12 and up
$20 FOOD/DRINK permit per vehicle to bring in other food/drinks.
Both theaters operate on cash only for ticket purchases. Gates open at 7 for both theaters
The Big Mo: Going Back In Time To Watch A Movie
Many years ago, if you wanted to watch a movie, you would go to a drive-in theatre. Yes, drive your car in and hook a speaker attached to a stand on your window. Plus, you may or may not have snuck in a couple of friends in the trunk of your car. (not guilty). The Big Mo: Going Back In Time To Watch A Movie.
Hollywood Under The Stars
A drive-in was magical. Watching a movie in the privacy of your car under the stars. If you got hungry, you would get out and walk to the concession stand and walk back to your vehicle with your arms full of popcorn and hot dogs with a few cokes. You probably saw a few windows fogged up on the way back, too.
That’s right….a drive-in to watch movies. Believe it or not, there was a time you didn’t have thousands of movies available on your TV with surround sound and a 65″ screen in your home.
Back That Truck Up
Yep, back then you had to drive to the drive-in and hook a speaker on your window, or back your truck up and everyone would put lawn chairs in the bed and hang out to watch the flick.
Now, we all love to go back in time and enjoy vinyl records, old turntables and in some areas, like Monetta, SC, we like to go to a drive in theatre like the Big Mo. It’s about a 40 minute drive from Augusta, but well worth the trip.
Tune In
The Big Mo is located at 5822 Columbia Highway North in Monetta, SC. These days, you don’t hang the speaker on your window, you just tune to a frequency on your radio to hear the movie.
1951
The Big Mo opened in 1951 with one screen. It now has three screens and people come from all over to experience what it was like in the 50’s to watch a big movie. If you haven’t been, it’s definitely worth the trip. Your kids will love it, too!
Darasha Singleton is a native of Augusta, Georgia who serves as the Digital Content Coordinator at Beasley Media Group. If you think there is nothing to do in Augusta, check her posts! You're sure to find something to do. Aside from work, Darasha enjoys going to the Saturday Market on the River and any local festivals.
