Legendary North Carolina Drive-In Theater Set To Re-Open
We love going to the movies. Always have. From the moment we moved to the Charlotte area in 2006, everyone would always bring up going to the Belmont Drive-In. It…
We love going to the movies. Always have. From the moment we moved to the Charlotte area in 2006, everyone would always bring up going to the Belmont Drive-In. It was always on our "to do" list, but we never did. The Belmont Drive-In closed in 2014. HOWEVER, it is now set to re-open!
According to cinematreasures.org The Belmont Drive-In was opened by 1948 when it had a capacity for 150-cars and was operated by G.L. Faw. It was listed as a (Portable) drive-in. By 1949 the 150-car capacity Drive-In was operated by Drive-In Theatres Inc. By 1950 it had been renamed Belmont Drive-In when it was operated by R. Boling and National Theatre Supply of Charlotte and still had a capacity for 150-cars. By 1953 it was operated by Consolidated Theatres Inc. It had a capacity for 340 cars on a four-acre field.
The Belmont Drive-In is located at 314 McAdenville Road in Belmont. Physically, it's just 14 miles from the center of downtown Charlotte, so it's well within reach for just about everyone for an evening of making memories.
Going to The Belmont Drive-In was something of a rite of passage for more than six decades. Seemingly everyone went at least once and has a story to tell. Truth be told, I've NEVER been to a drive-in theater. So, I can't wait for this North Carolina treasure to re-open.
The owners of The Belmont Drive-In plan to show movies on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and maybe some special events, like “Throwback Thursday.” As of right now, schedules and pricing are not yet available. And yes, concessions will be on-site for purchase.
How exciting is this Facebook post though?! I mean, the legendary Belmont Drive-In is coming back!
Experts Say These Are The 9 Best Movies Filmed In North Carolina
North Carolina may not be the first state that comes to your mind when you think of film production. And yes we aren't New York or California but that doesn't mean some fantastic movies weren't filmed in North Carolina. While Hollywood gets the glamour and notoriety, plenty of iconic films have been shot all over the United States. And this certainly includes North Carolina. I'm not a movie buff, though I do enjoy watching them from time to time. Mainly when I have the attention span and time! And honestly, the first film that came to my mind when I saw this list, well actually I don't think it was made in North Carolina at all. And it wasn't filmed because it's animated.
My mind instantly went to the Disney classic "Cars". Even more surprising? I've never seen it. I just remember hearing about it when they did the premiere at Charlotte Motor Speedway. But don't worry, I did think of one that actually shot in North Carolina (and made this list)- Dirty Dancing. I'm sure you know that the classic 80's film was shot at Lake Lure, NC. But is it the best one to come out of the state? Our friends at BetCarolina have it ranked high, but not first. BetCarolina.com compiled a list of movies filmed in North Carolina and ranked them based on a point system.
This point system uses IMDb rating, Rotten Tomatoes Audience and Critics' Scores, and Oscars recognition to rank the top 10 movies shot in North Carolina. Did your favorite make the list? Number one is definitely a beloved film North Carolina can be proud of! Keep reading to see the top films. You can read the full study by BetCarolina here.
9. Iron Man 3
Year: 2013
Score: 77
8. Dirty Dancing
Year: 1987
Score: 79.3
7. Super Size Me
Year: 2004
Score: 79.6
6. The Conjuring
Year: 2013
Score: 81
5. The Hunger Games
Year: 2012
Score: 83.6
4. The Last Of The Mohicans
Year: 1992
Score: 88
3. The Green Mile
Year: 1999
Score: 90.3
2. The Color Purple
Year: 1985
Score: 93.6
1. Forest Gump
Year: 1994
Score: 103.6
