Will the Hyde Park Drive-In Be Saved?

All is not lost as Hyde Park Drive-In proposals are under review.

Last year around this time, an article was written, questioning if Drive-In Movies are a thing of the past. During the COVID pandemic, drive-ins became popular forms of entertainment as recommendations by health officials were made about being outdoors and social distancing. As movie theaters began shutting down, the drive-ins thrived.

Lots of great memories at drive-ins over the years. I remember in my early radio days, the radio station doing a movie premiere for the new Godzilla movie at the time at the Overlook Drive-In, Poughkeepsie. It was 1998, and the station had its big Rock n Roll boombox, and the event was a memorable one.

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I also remember seeing many movies over the years at Hyde Park Drive-In off rt 9, and it was recently announced that the treasured 72-year-old Hudson Valley business was closing its doors, upsetting many people all over the area. Now, according to a report, there's still a chance for the beloved drive-in.

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According to the National Parks Service, the Hyde Park Drive-In may not be closing for good as proposals are underway to keep the outdoor theater operating for the next decade. A lease had expired last year, and The National Park Service (which has owned the site after purchasing it from Scenic Hudson in 2011) issued requests for proposals from vendors interested in leasing and running the facility.

Set on 12 acres with an 82-foot wide screen and 670-car capacity, Sidney and Ida Cohen opened the Hyde Pak Drive-In in 1950 and 1955 and added the Overlook Drive-In Theater, which is still currently operating at 126 Degarmo Rd in Poughkeepsie.