Who Recalls Danny Boy’s Drive-in Theater, Ionia (2013-2018)?

Many of Michigan’s drive-in movie theaters were able to hang in there throughout the 50s, 60s, 70s...and some even beyond. But one that opened in the 2010s and only lasted five years was Danny Boy’s Drive-in theater in Ionia.

Sitting at 3615 S. State Road, Danny Boy’s opened in 2013 and closed in either 2017 or 2018. One of its unique features was the screen; it was inflatable that could be taken down after the nighttime showings and inflated again for the following night.

Danny Boy’s made a good effort to bring back the drive-in experience and was just down the street from the former Ionia Drive-In site. The owners tried to snag that original drive-in location but were unsuccessful. On top of that, the local officials denied them from erecting a regulation movie screen for some reason.

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So, determined to bring back drive-in movies and without the luxury of a professional screen, they purchased an inflatable screen.....very clever and admirable, in my opinion.

For five years, Danny Boy’s did very well, rivaling box office receipts found at other state drive-in theaters. Sadly, thanks to water problems, the theater grounds became bad enough that Danny Boy’s could not open in 2018..... and that was basically it.

Hats off to the owners who gave it a good shot! Maybe...just maybe...they’ll find another site where people in Ionia County can enjoy drive-in movies once again...