The Mahoning Drive-In Theater will raise the curtains Friday on what promises to be a fun-filled season for movie goers.

For opening weekend Friday and Saturday, the drive in at 635 Seneca Road, Lehighton, will present a double feature of the all-time family classics, “The Wizard of Oz” (1939) and “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” (1971).

“Much in the way generations watched ‘The Wizard of Oz’ once a year on broadcast TV, we continue this tradition as a once-a-year big screen spectacular, welcoming regulars and families back to take in these classic films in a classic setting, on one of the biggest outdoor screens on the east coast, presented from 35 mm prints, just like they were when audiences first experienced them at the Mahoning,” said Mark Nelson, the drive-in’s general manager.

To add to the experience, the drive-in will have costumed characters from the films walking around the lot. Even The Great and Powerful Oz will be on hand, and will meet with customers at the snack bar before the films start rolling at 6 p.m.

The drive-in will also have its usual live pre-show DJ set before and between the films, event-specific merchandise, snack bar with tasty treats and vintage family film trailers before the main feature, Nelson said.

Retro drive-in

The opener will be a taste of what’s to come for the world’s only all-retro, all-35mm drive-in, which draws film lovers from all over the country.

So far, the drive-in has announced 80 titles for the 2023 season - and that’s only half of what’s in store, Nelson said.

“Horror does best for us, but being ravenous film fans ourselves, we try to hit and cater to all genres and fandoms with our offerings each summer,” he said.

Family film highlights include a Disney double feature of both the original 1976 and 2003 “Freaky Friday,” and a Muppets double feature with Muppet memorabilia displays, vendors and performers.

“Our Exhumed Films staple horror events will return with some new entries as well, with Zombiefest on May 25 - 28, featuring an appearance by Howard Sherman, who played Bub the zombie in George Romero’s ‘Day of the Dead’, ‘Haunted House Party’ on June 16 - 17 with bestselling author Grady Hendrix hosting two nights of classic haunted house movie triple features including ‘The Haunting’, ‘Poltergeist’ and ‘Burnt Offerings’, and the much-requested return of Godzilla-Palooza on June 29-July 2, featuring eight classic Godzilla films on 35 mm,” Nelson said.

Exhumed Films’ Tunnel Vision Tuesday shows continue all season, with single-feature presentations of both classics and deep cuts from all genres.

The selections are numerous and varied. Folks can keep up with the updated schedule on Facebook and Instagram pages, and find links at https://www.mahoningdit.com.

Special visits

Special events coincide with many of the showings. For example, the Screenwriters Series, which kicks off June 23, features a visit from Carl Gottlieb, writer of “Jaws” and “The Jerk.”

“We’ll hold our annual VHS Fest on July 7 and 8, which draws analog media fans from around the country to our theater to celebrate the glory days of the video store era, with screenings of video store classics from actual VHS tapes on our giant screen, along with a lot full of VHS and retro media and collectible vendors,” Nelson said.

While the drive-in’s schedule is primarily devised by partner and film booker Virgil Cardamone, customers also weigh in on what they’d like to see.

“We also have a ‘Suggest A Double Feature’ box in the snack bar, and (Cardamone) keeps a running list of all customer suggestions that we get via email, socials and that box,” Nelson said.

The drive-in, Nelson said, strives to give customers a friendly, film-centric experience every night, from its pre-show live DJ sets, to its themed food specials and merchandise items, snack bar décor, vintage movie posters, vinyl and VHS sale racks and guest vendors. Plus, customers can take advantage of photo opportunities that mimic scenes or sets from featured films, and appreciate that crews use vintage equipment to present the best possible images and sounds, he said.

Nationwide interest

Because of the rarity of the films it runs - and the experience delivered by staff - the drive-in sees fans from all over the country.

“We have regular customers from New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Los Angeles, New Orleans and Canada,” Nelson said. “It’s amazing and a huge compliment to know that some film fans fly and drive from great distances to see our events, and show just how unique some of these screenings are, films that no other theater or drive-In in the country are running, and in many cases, might be a once-in-a-lifetime event for people.”