Ever since the first Star Wars movie smashed box office records in 1977, moviegoers have flocked to theaters in droves to see the first summer blockbusters on Memorial Day weekend.
With most theaters closed this year, thousands of people nationwide are using Change.org to petition lawmakers to reopen a nostalgic American staple: drive-in movie theaters.
Will the drive-in return to the popularity it enjoyed at the peak of mid-20th century Americana? From Washington to Georgia and many states in between, petition starters see drive-ins as a socially-distant alternative to traditional theaters.
Mikal G, a petition starter in Michigan, said, “With indoor theaters being closed due to nationwide lockdowns, drive-in theaters have been the people's only respite to enjoy film entertainment on the big screen, allowing them to escape the depression of being locked in their homes.”
“There has to be a compromise,” Deana Pokotello, a petition signer from Smiths Creek, Michigan, said. “In my opinion, the public will be more cooperative with safety recommendations if they don’t feel like all their freedoms have been taken away. This outdoor activity can be done safely and should be allowed.”
Links to local petitions:
