Highway 18 Outdoor Theatre, One of Wisconsin’s Last Drive-in Movie Theaters, is Closed

From an article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “Wisconsin’s depleted roster of drive-in movie theaters is shorter by two.

The Highway 18 Outdoor Theatre, W6423 Highway 18 in Jefferson (at Highways 18 and 89), closed after the end of the 2024 season. Owner Lee Burgess — who had put the drive-in property up for sale after the 2023 season — announced in September 2024 he was retiring and again putting the property up for sale.

The drive-in, which was built in 1953, was in bankruptcy when Burgess bought it. He reopened the Highway 18 in 2000……The drive-in property is currently listed for sale at $595,000….

The loss of the Highway 18 and Chilton Twilight leaves Wisconsin with eight drive-in movie theaters, and only one in southeast Wisconsin: the Milky Way Drive-In Theatre in Franklin, which opens for the season May 16.”

The link to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article is here.

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