Iowa Drive-Ins
Iowa has four operating drive-in theaters, all running from roughly April through October. They range from one of the smallest in the country to one of the most modern, and include the state's oldest continuously operating drive-in.
View All Drive-InsThe Valle Drive-in in Newton, about 30 miles east of Des Moines, is Iowa's oldest, open since 1948. It survived a tornado in March 2025 that damaged the screen and famously reopened with a showing of "Twister." Traditional speakers are still available in the first four rows alongside 88.7 FM radio sound.
The Blue Grass Drive-in near the Quad Cities is among the most ambitious drive-ins in the Midwest. It opened in 2014 with a single screen and has expanded to four, arranged in a central hub with parking on all sides. It also offers private viewing boxes with climate control and runs from March through October.
In eastern Iowa, the Voy 61 Drive-in in Delmar celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2025. It holds just 180 cars and has a playground, basketball courts, and a sandbox to keep families busy before showtime. In the northwest, the Superior 71 Drive-in in Spirit Lake was built in 2008 near the Iowa Great Lakes and added a second screen in 2019.
Drive-Ins by City
Iowa Drive-In Theaters
61 Drive-in
Delmar
A single-screen drive-in on US Highway 61 in Delmar that celebrated its...
View Drive-InBlue Grass Drive-in Theater
Blue Grass
A four-screen drive-in on West Mayne Street in Blue Grass, near the...
View Drive-InSuperior 71 Drive-in
Spirit Lake
A two-screen drive-in on 300th Avenue in Spirit Lake, in the Iowa...
View Drive-InValle Drive-in Theater
Newton
Iowa's oldest drive-in, on Highway F48 in Newton, about 30 miles east...
View Drive-In