Route 66 Drive-In

1700 Knights Recreation Drive,
Springfield, IL 62711

Unfavorite 1 person favorited this theater

Related Websites

Route 66 Drive-In (Official)

Additional Info

Previously operated by: Kerasotes Theatres

Functions: Movies (First Run)

Previous Names: Green Meadows Drive-In

Phone Numbers: Box Office: 217.698.0066

Nearby Theaters

Route 66 Drive-In

Originally opened March 8, 1974 as the Green Meadows Drive-In, when many drive-ins were starting to go out of business, this twin screener had a brief first life, closing on August 8, 1980.

After sitting vacant for almost two decades, the Knight family, who own and operate a nearby theme park, renovated and reopened the theater, as the Route 66 Drive-In (the historic highway runs just blocks from the drive-in’s location).

Though only one of the two screens was lit in 2002, there are plans to have both open for the 2003 season.

The Route 66 screens first-run features from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Contributed by Bryan Krefft

Recent comments (view all 15 comments)

 Chris
Chris on May 9, 2017 at 12:18 am

Open for 2017 with first run features!!!

http://www.route66-drivein.com/now-showing

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on May 9, 2017 at 9:48 am

What is the thene park called and is it still operating or even still there?

Norman Plant
Norman Plant on May 9, 2017 at 11:45 am

It’s called Knight’s Action Park and is still operating.

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on February 22, 2018 at 6:30 am

Route 66 Drive-in is listed as being on Route 66 on the website http://www.driveintheater.com/route66.htm . Has the route of Route 66 changed location through Springfield, Illinois?

Norman Plant
Norman Plant on February 22, 2018 at 9:48 am

The two routes of 66 that ran through Springfield were 6th street (Business I-55) and Illinois Route 4. The Route 66 DI is located between these routes along US 36/I-72 frontage road. The original 66 Drive-In was located on 6th Street just off the exit from I-55. Their claim to being on Route 66 is incorrect.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on June 19, 2019 at 12:17 pm

The second screen of the Route 66 opened in Spring 2004.

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on June 20, 2019 at 10:19 am

Opened as Green Meadows Drive-in on screen 1 with “Legend of hell house”, The Heartbreak Kid", and “Mash”, and on screen 2 with “Rivers”, “Judge Roy Bean” and “The getway”.

BillJunior
BillJunior on February 2, 2021 at 12:06 pm

NOTE to webmaster: This entry causes confusion to some readers as there was a prior “66 Drive In” in this city. Adding to this confusion is that this entry has an incorrect photo showing the grounds of the “66 Drive In”, not this Route 66 Drive In. I suggest the webmaster please re-name this entry “Route 66 Drive-In (Green Meadows Drive-In)” as this would help clear the confusion between the two 66 theaters.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on June 23, 2021 at 5:43 pm

The Green Meadows' final ad in the State Journal-Register was on Aug. 8, 1980, when it was showing “Oh Heavenly Dog” + “Scavenger Hunt” / “Love at First Bite” + “Old Dracula”.

That issue’s Movie Week roundup repeated (probably inaccurately) the drive-in’s movies from the week before. A week later, on Aug. 16, it repeated them again, but the final shows were likely to have been on the weekend of Aug. 8.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on September 7, 2021 at 1:14 pm

Daily Illinois State Journal, March 11, 1973: “A new twin-screen, drive-in theatre will open in Green Meadows Recreation Park this summer, according to Louis Jablonow, president of Mid-America Theatres. The new drive-in will be located adjacent to Skateland and International Health Spa in Green Meadows Recreation Park, now under development at Chatham Road and the South Bypass. Construction on the new 875 automobile theatre facility is underway and plans call for a two-story concession and projection building with facilities that will serve two screens showing two separate movies at the same time. Two large playground areas will be provided and all parking spaces will be equipped with in-car speaker and heater units. Cedar fencing on the perimeter of the theatre grounds will be accented by landscaping.”

You must login before making a comment.

New Comment

Subscribe Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.