I have fond memories of this drive in. It opened sometime during the late ‘50s. I believe the first movie I saw there with my parents was “Rio Bravo”. This drive in played many of the John Wayne westerns during that era.
I recall the shuffle board courts which were located right at the footstep of the screen (at the time this was a single screen venue). For some reason in my youth I had a fear of large movie screens and remember my parents wondering why I would start crying when we went up to play shuffle board.
The theatre also had a miniature golf course located in the east side of the parking area. That was a lot of fun.
One earlier entry mentions the fact the theatre played top forties music before the show would start. I still hear the echoes of that music in my memory.
It was indeed located next to the Bayshore Farmers Market and my Dad knew the man who managed one of the produce stands there. We would load up on green seedless grapes and snack on them during the movies.
Later in years the indoor theatre had been built right on the west side of the entrance to the drive in. I do not believe the two theatres were related in any way only by geography. Later in years the theatre became a twin and lost some of its charm.
The one drawback was the incinerator right across the street on the east bound side of Sunrise Highway. If the breeze was right, during the show the smell of burning trash would become apparent. It did keep the mosquitoes away however.
During the early years however, Long Island was rich with many outdoor cinemas and for the most part I have been to them all. The Bay Shore Sunrise was the one we frequented the most.
We would go to the 5th Avenue Drive In from time to time but they featured low budget horror films for the most part which we did not have a taste for.
It is sad that these moments in history have been lost for the most part. Today we yield to 3D and special effects and not great cinema moments which required the skill of acting and not delusion.
Up here in Maine we still have two active drive ins; The Saco Drive In and Prides Corner Drive In. We have been to the Prides Corner and it is pretty old but nostalgic. It brings back memories of the Bayshore Sunrise and the happy moments spent there.
I have fond memories of this drive in. It opened sometime during the late ‘50s. I believe the first movie I saw there with my parents was “Rio Bravo”. This drive in played many of the John Wayne westerns during that era.
I recall the shuffle board courts which were located right at the footstep of the screen (at the time this was a single screen venue). For some reason in my youth I had a fear of large movie screens and remember my parents wondering why I would start crying when we went up to play shuffle board.
The theatre also had a miniature golf course located in the east side of the parking area. That was a lot of fun.
One earlier entry mentions the fact the theatre played top forties music before the show would start. I still hear the echoes of that music in my memory.
It was indeed located next to the Bayshore Farmers Market and my Dad knew the man who managed one of the produce stands there. We would load up on green seedless grapes and snack on them during the movies.
Later in years the indoor theatre had been built right on the west side of the entrance to the drive in. I do not believe the two theatres were related in any way only by geography. Later in years the theatre became a twin and lost some of its charm.
The one drawback was the incinerator right across the street on the east bound side of Sunrise Highway. If the breeze was right, during the show the smell of burning trash would become apparent. It did keep the mosquitoes away however.
During the early years however, Long Island was rich with many outdoor cinemas and for the most part I have been to them all. The Bay Shore Sunrise was the one we frequented the most.
We would go to the 5th Avenue Drive In from time to time but they featured low budget horror films for the most part which we did not have a taste for.
It is sad that these moments in history have been lost for the most part. Today we yield to 3D and special effects and not great cinema moments which required the skill of acting and not delusion.
Up here in Maine we still have two active drive ins; The Saco Drive In and Prides Corner Drive In. We have been to the Prides Corner and it is pretty old but nostalgic. It brings back memories of the Bayshore Sunrise and the happy moments spent there.