Today we’d like to introduce you to Virgil Cardamone.
Hi Virgil, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My love affair with movies started long before I ever set foot on the grounds of the Mahoning Drive-In Theater.
I’ve been a lifelong film fanatic. I went to film school, spent nearly a decade running a video store, and have always been drawn to the theatrical experience of cinema. Not just the movies themselves, but everything surrounding them. The anticipation, the atmosphere, the presentation, and especially the shared experience of watching something unfold on a screen with a crowd of strangers.
The Mahoning Drive-In was built in 1947 and opened in 1949, and somehow, against all odds, it has continued operating every single year since. When I became involved, I saw something far greater than an old outdoor movie theater. I saw a piece of American entertainment history that deserved not only to survive, but to thrive.
In 2014, we began experimenting with a different approach to programming. Rather than chasing the latest Hollywood releases, we leaned into what made the Mahoning special: its history, its original 35mm projection equipment, and the magic of experiencing classic films the way audiences originally saw them.
What began as a bit of an experiment quickly grew into something none of us could have anticipated.
We started building events around the films themselves, celebrating everything from horror and cult cinema to science fiction, animation, and forgotten oddities. We brought in special guests, filmmakers, collectors, vendors, and artists. Eventually, people began traveling from all over the country, and even internationally, to experience what we were creating.
Today, the Mahoning is something of a pilgrimage destination for film lovers. We’re the only full-time drive-in theater in the country exclusively presenting films on 35mm, using our original reel-to-reel projection system. We operate from spring through Halloween, filling our calendar with elaborate themed weekends, festivals, special appearances, and celebrations of cinema in all its forms.
But what I’m most proud of isn’t the attention we’ve received or how far people travel to visit us. It’s the community that’s grown around this place.
The Mahoning has become a second home for so many people. Friendships have been formed here, relationships have blossomed, and entire families have made it part of their traditions. We have guests who plan their vacations around our schedule and return year after year, not simply because of what’s playing on the screen, but because of how being here makes them feel.
Over the years, I’ve gone from helping develop the programming and identity of the theater to becoming its owner and operator. That’s a responsibility I don’t take lightly. I see myself as a caretaker of something much bigger than any one person.
And while we’re incredibly proud of our history, we’re not interested in becoming a museum. We’re constantly finding ways to grow, improve, and introduce new generations to the magic of the drive-in.
I often say that the Mahoning isn’t simply a place where we show movies. It’s a place where we celebrate them.
And somehow, I’ve been fortunate enough to make that my life’s work.
I think that gives the interviewer a strong sense of both your personal journey and what makes the Mahoning special.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Has it been a smooth road? Not even remotely! But I think that’s part of what makes the whole journey so rewarding.
The reality is that keeping a drive-in theater from 1949 alive and thriving in the modern world comes with an almost endless series of challenges. We’re operating a massive outdoor facility that’s completely at the mercy of Mother Nature, relying on vintage equipment that hasn’t been manufactured in decades, and building a business around a film format that most of the industry abandoned years ago.
When we started reinventing the Mahoning in 2014, there was no blueprint for what we were attempting. The conventional wisdom was that drive-ins were dying and 35mm film was obsolete. We were essentially betting everything on the idea that people still wanted an authentic theatrical experience, and that if we created something special enough, they’d go out of their way to find it.
And thankfully, they did.
But getting there wasn’t easy. There were years of financial uncertainty, countless late nights, equipment failures, unpredictable weather, and the constant challenge of convincing people that what we were building was worth believing in.
One of the biggest challenges has been balancing preservation with progress. We want to protect everything that makes the Mahoning special, but we also have to operate a sustainable business. Maintaining nearly 80-year-old infrastructure while continuing to improve the guest experience is a delicate balancing act, especially when you’re determined not to compromise the character of the place.
And then there’s the personal side of it. When you pour so much of yourself into something, the line between your personal life and your work can practically disappear. For seven months out of the year, the Mahoning becomes our entire world. It’s physically exhausting, emotionally demanding, and occasionally downright absurd.
But I wouldn’t trade it.
I’ve always believed that the things worth doing are rarely the easiest things to do. Every obstacle we’ve overcome has helped shape what the Mahoning has become.
And perhaps the greatest lesson I’ve learned is that you can’t build something like this alone. It takes an incredible team, a loyal community, and a whole lot of people who believe in the same crazy dream.
At the end of the day, we’re not simply trying to keep an old movie theater open. We’re trying to prove that places like this still matter.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The Mahoning Drive-In Theater is a historic, single-screen drive-in movie theater located in Lehighton, Pennsylvania. Built in 1947 and opening its gates in 1949, it’s been entertaining audiences for nearly eight decades. But what makes the Mahoning particularly unique is that we’re not your typical drive-in movie theater.
We’re the only full-time drive-in theater in the country dedicated exclusively to presenting films on 35mm, using our original reel-to-reel projection equipment. In an industry that’s almost entirely transitioned to digital exhibition, we’ve made it our mission to keep the experience of watching actual film alive.
But the 35mm presentation is really just the beginning.
What we specialize in is creating experiences around the movies themselves. We don’t simply put a couple of titles on the marquee and call it a night. We build entire weekends around the films we celebrate, incorporating special guests, live entertainment, themed activities, vendors, merchandise, and all sorts of surprises.
Our programming runs the gamut from beloved Hollywood classics and cult favorites to horror, science fiction, animation, exploitation, and some of the strangest cinematic oddities imaginable. We work with film studios, archives, collectors, filmmakers, and distributors from around the world to bring these experiences to life.
Events like our annual VHS Fest, Universal Monster Mash, and collaborations with organizations like Exhumed, AGFA, MST3K have helped establish the Mahoning as a destination for movie lovers who are looking for something beyond the ordinary theatrical experience.
And unlike most movie theaters, the experience doesn’t necessarily end when the credits roll.
Our guests can spend the night on the grounds, turning a trip to the movies into an entire weekend getaway. There’s something pretty magical about watching a double feature beneath the stars, hanging out with fellow film fans afterward, and waking up the next morning surrounded by people who share your enthusiasm for cinema.
I think that’s what truly sets us apart. We’ve managed to create something that feels less like a traditional business and more like a community.
From a branding standpoint, I’m particularly proud that we’ve built an identity that people immediately recognize. The Mahoning has become synonymous with authentic film exhibition, imaginative programming, and an unapologetic love of moviegoing culture. We’ve never tried to be everything to everyone. We’ve simply embraced what we love, stayed true to our vision, and trusted that the right audience would find us.
And they certainly have.
People travel from across the country and around the world to visit our little drive-in in Pennsylvania. Many arrive as first-time visitors and leave feeling like they’ve discovered a place they didn’t realize they were looking for.
I’m also incredibly proud of the people who make the whole thing possible. Our team isn’t simply a collection of employees showing up for a paycheck. They’re film lovers, artists, collectors, and passionate individuals who genuinely believe in what we’re doing. That enthusiasm is contagious, and I think our guests feel it the moment they pull through the gates.
Ultimately, what I want people to understand about the Mahoning is that we’re not simply preserving an old movie theater. We’re keeping an entire culture of moviegoing alive while continuing to find new ways to celebrate it.
There’s an authenticity to the Mahoning that you can’t manufacture, and I believe that’s become our greatest strength.
We’re not in the business of simply showing movies. We’re in the business of making memories around them.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I think the most important qualities have been passion, perseverance, authenticity, and a healthy dose of stubbornness.
First and foremost, you have to genuinely love what you do. I don’t think there’s any way I could have dedicated this much of my life to the Mahoning if I didn’t have an overwhelming passion for cinema and the experience of sharing it with others. That enthusiasm is what gets me out of bed every morning, even when the previous night didn’t end until four.
I’ve also learned that you have to be willing to believe in something long before anyone else sees its potential. When we started down this road, the idea of building a successful business around an aging drive-in theater and an obsolete film format wasn’t exactly conventional wisdom. But I’ve never been particularly interested in doing things simply because that’s how everyone else does them.
Authenticity has been another huge part of our success. I think people can recognize when something comes from a genuine place. We’ve never tried to manufacture an identity for the Mahoning or chase whatever happens to be popular. We’ve built this place around the things we genuinely love, and I think that sincerity resonates with people.
I’d also say that creativity and adaptability are essential. You can have the greatest vision in the world, but if you can’t solve problems, adjust to unexpected circumstances, and occasionally make something out of absolutely nothing, you’re going to have a difficult time turning that vision into reality.
And perhaps most importantly, I’ve learned the value of surrounding yourself with people who are just as passionate about what you’re building as you are. I may have a particular vision for the Mahoning, but its success belongs to an entire team of incredibly dedicated individuals who bring their own talents, personalities, and creativity to the table.
I’ve never considered success to be simply a matter of financial achievement. To me, success is creating something meaningful, something that connects people, something that might actually outlive you.
I think the secret is having the courage to pursue something you believe in, the determination to see it through, and enough humility to recognize that you can’t accomplish it alone.
Pricing:
- General Single Feature: $8
- General Double Feature: $12
Contact Info:
- Website: https://MahoningDIT.com
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/mahoningdrivein
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/mahoningdrivein
- Twitter: https://Twitter.com/MahoningDIT
- Youtube: @MahoningDIT
- Other: https://Patreon.com/mahoningdrivein
