Belford Drive-In

8301 E. State Street,
Rockford, IL 61108

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Rainbow Angels Ensemble
Rainbow Angels Ensemble on May 16, 2024 at 1:19 am

Showplace 16 has its own page

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES on March 21, 2023 at 2:46 pm

Closed on September 17, 1995.

booboo_babies
booboo_babies on June 28, 2018 at 11:08 am

I remember reading about this place on the movie listings page of the Rockford newspaper. But it was far away from where I lived in Winnebago, so I seldom went there. The only times that I considered coming to the Belford was when a show was sold out every place else.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on March 10, 2017 at 3:44 pm

1994 marquee photo added, credit RockfordReminisce.com Facebook page.

rivest266
rivest266 on November 26, 2011 at 1:59 pm

This opened on December 23rd, 1965 with one outdoor and one indoor screen by Kerasotes. I have included the grand opening ad, aerials from 1970 and 1975. The ShowPlace opened on the site in 1997.

Cntrfld12
Cntrfld12 on September 30, 2005 at 6:54 am

Ah yes, the good times at the Belford. Some of the older people still even call Showplace 16 the Belford. That was a great theatre and should have kept it. Drive-ins are few are far these days. The last movie I remember seeing there was Kevin Costner’s Waterworld. I still even remember the old entrance. I wish I had a photo of the theatre!

GreatExplorer
GreatExplorer on June 22, 2005 at 2:10 am

I kinda remember visiting this theater when I was younger, sometime in the early ‘90s. But, I’m pretty sure there was also several other screens inside as well. The new theater that took its place, the ShowPlace, is a huge place and is interesting to look at now.