Sundowner Drive-In
E. Fireweed Lane and Gambell Street,
Anchorage,
AK
99503
E. Fireweed Lane and Gambell Street,
Anchorage,
AK
99503
1 person
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Located next to the indoor Fireweed Theatre (now the Fireweed 7 Cinemas which has its own page on Cinema Treasures), this drive-in opened on March 24, 1966 with Frankie Avalon in “Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine” & Ray Charles in the concert film “The Big T.N.T. Machine”. It was closed on December 31, 1978 with John Travolta in “Grease” & Tim McIntire in “American Hot Wax”. It has since been demolished.
The Sundowner Drive-In was one of three drive-in theatres once located in Anchorage, the other two being the 360 Drive-In and the Billiken Drive-In (both also long gone but have their own pages on Cinema Treasures).
Contributed by
Bryan
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Recent comments (view all 15 comments)
I also spent many night at this drive-in…Late nights to be sure but great memories..
If anyone has any phots, would love to see them..
Me too!
Ken mc, that crime story is funny stuff.
Ken Mc.great stuff.
I just wonder how a drive-in could operate in Alaska. In winter, it is too cold to go to a drive-in, and in summer, with so many hours of daylight, I imagine they had to start very late. I worked at drive-ins in Richmond, Virginia, and in the summer it was nine o'clock or later before we could start. And most of our drive-ins closed up in the winter.
saw Mother, Jugs, and Speed there.
Is there anything on this site now?
Grand opening ad posted.
Most likely closed on December 31, 1978 with “Grease” and “American Hot Wax”.
Some more info on the famous concert held here. Rock Group KISS, along with Savoy Brown, played the Sundowner Drive-In for an unique rare concert, late on the night of June 2, 1974. The show didn’t start until 11PM, but was still in daylight due to the Alaskan summer. A stage was built directly in front of the drive-in’s screen. Reportedly 3,000+ people were in attendance. 4 people were arrested at the show, due to rowdiness and intoxication, typical of that era. A rare photograph has been uploaded of them playing in daylight despite it being so late into the night.