MINTURN, Colo. — For the past several years Josh Frank has opened a drive-in theater in the small town of Minturn, Colorado showing classic movies in an outdoor Rocky Mountain setting.
“We developed a following not only in the high Rockies but in Denver,” said Frank.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Frank wasn’t going to open the Blue Starlite this summer but it’s because of the pandemic that drive-in theaters are becoming great ways for people to still see movies when so many other indoor theaters have closed.
“When I was starting 10 years ago, I was actually creating a social distance movie experience without realizing it,” said Frank.
Frank has two other drive in theaters located in Texas where he says business is booming, mainly because there are no other theaters open there.
In Minturn, people are emailing and asking on social media if the mountain location will open this summer.
“I said by May 10 we need to sell 150 car slots, basically three sold-out nights, said Frank. ‘We’re about 70% to our goal in about eight days and that’s pretty good.”
If Frank can sell enough of those advance tickets, he said he’ll open his Minturn location and start showing movies to people who will have to remain inside their cars but will be able to see classic movies on the big screen.
“It’s comfort food for people who love movies,” said Frank.
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