Almost every child of the ’ 70s remembers going to the movies in their pyjamas
Mentioning the drive-in around here is a sure-fire conversation starter . A quick post on the Facebook group If You Grew Up In Windsor ON , You Remember ... elicits dozens of responses almost immediately and inspires the inner poet .
“ In the early ’ 70s my two younger brothers and I would pile in our yellow Country Squire station wagon , and our dad would take us to A & W ... from there , we would go off to the drive-in ,” says Carrie White Innes . “ What I can remember is the beautiful simplicity and comfort of the event . From hooking up the big grey speaker to the rolled-down window to the shadows reflecting off the sky , the car windows and the faces of my brothers .”
White ’ s not the only one with fond memories . Michael Parent was a frequent visitor back in the day . “ One of the absolute best memories was meeting a girl in front of the concession , and ending up kissing in the play area !”
And almost every child of the ’ 70s remembers the experience of going to the movies in your pyjamas . Before the movie you ’ d head up to the playground in front of the screen for a twirl on the roundabout , then settle into the backseat for the movie . Likely you ’ d fall asleep before the second feature – and wake up the next morning snug in your own bed , with memories of a wonderful outing with the family .
For teens , of course , the drive-in was often an exercise in daring . “ I was always the one who volunteered to climb in the trunk ,” says White Innes .
Life was fun behind the counter too . Betty Nickerson worked at both the Skyway and the Windsor drive-in from the early 1960s when her kids were small until the closure of both screens in the 1980s .
April Wright spent several years collecting photos and footage for Going Attractions . From top to bottom : The Admiral Twin , Oklahoma The Diane , Missouri The Cottage View , Minnesota The Beverly , Mississippi Photos courtesy of April Wright
12 The HUB - August 2013
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