Rodeo Drive-In
7369 Washington Highway 3,
Bremerton,
WA
98312
7369 Washington Highway 3,
Bremerton,
WA
98312
2 people
favorited this theater
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Rodeo Drive-In (Official)
Additional Info
Firms: J. Lister Holmes & Associates
Functions: Movies (First Run)
Previous Names: Rodeo Motor Movies
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
360.698.6030
Nearby Theaters
The Rodeo Motor Movies opened on May 26, 1949 as a single screen drive-in with a capacity for 600 cars. The opening movies were Dennis Morgan in “Two Guys from Texas” & Edmund O'Brien in “Fighter Squadron”. It became a 3-screen theatre on June 30, 1978 with an 850-cars capacity.
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Lost Memory
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Recent comments (view all 17 comments)
Now fully converted to video projection and will re-open for the season on March 1, 2013.
They have a great history of this drive-in on their website under “about us”.
The Rodeo was just voted ‘Best Movie Theater’ in Western Washington, the poll was sponsored by KING-TV. Not just best drive-in, but best Overall. And that’s some steep competition including Cinerama & the Uptown in Seattle, plus the Blue Mouse in Tacoma.
I like to think of the Rodeo as “the best little BIG drive-in in the Northwest” By that, I mean it has 3 screens and holds over 800 cars, but still maintains an atmosphere of intimacy. The Snack Bar cooks everything to order, they’ll give you a pager so you don’t miss too much of the movie. And they still have a playground down front of the main screen.
Something unprecedented in the history of the Rodeo Drive-In Theater: They are reopening in the winter on December 17, 2015 for a 4 week run of the new Star Wars movie!
According the website for this drive-in, the name Rodeo is short for right on de entertainment order(according to newspaper articule from the day before the drive-in opened). There is a swap meet there too!! The Rodeo Drive-in has parking at the back of the ramps for flying saucers(according to the website), possibly unique!?
During the coronavirus outbreak, the Rodeo is open to fantastic business. KIRO TV7 did a great story on it:
https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/its-best-place-quarantine-date-business-booming-bremertons-drive-in-theater/YNPQ27KDKBAH7PAYMY344URPYI/
According to the Rodeo Drive In’s facebook page, they now have a brand new marquee! It’s gorgeous! They are still open during the winter to make up for being closed (like other Washington state drive-ins) for several months during the prime drive-in season by order of the governor.
Opening May 25th, 1949.
3 screens on June 30th, 1978. Another ad posted.
Boxoffice, June 18, 1949: “BREMERTON, WASH. - The longest and most colorful commercial parade ever staged here was one of the new features arranged for the recent opening of the new $50,000 Rodeo Drive-In Theatre by Dwight Spracher of Seattle, Rex Thompson of Port Orchard and George Blair of Vashon Island, operators of the project. Blair is manager. More than a mile in length, the parade was led by Mayor Hum L. Kean and other local officials. Units in the lineup included more than 150 riders, a band and an auto caravan depicting special features of the new drive-in. Directional signs reading "Straight Ahead to the Rodeo Drive-In Theatre” were attached to poles along the main street and highway leading to the drive-in. About 125 inches of newspaper publicity and art were given to the opening by the Bremerton Sun, and three pages of co-op advertising by contractors and subcontractors dominated the paper. A Goodyear blimp relayed news flashes over the city on the opening day. A huge barbecue was arranged by the three partners for more than 350 guests from Washington, Oregon and California as a climax to the opening day activities."