In this day and age, there are still small pockets of the world where you can find relics from a bygone era. For cinema lovers, downtown Indianapolis has one such gem: the Tibbs Drive-In Theater. Open since 1967, Tibbs showcases a nostalgic way of enjoying films under the stars.
Marcella Snyder, the owner of Tibbs Drive-In, recently made a major investment in the future of the drive-in by purchasing a brand-new laser projection system. This state-of-the-art projector, which outputs up to 57,000 lumens, can cost as much as $120,000 compared to the last projector, which maxed out at 30,000 lumens.
“It was very expensive,” Snyder said. “We do look forward to upgrading the other three screens, but that’s just not something we can afford right now. We saved for six years to buy that projector. People are totally hyped for the laser projector. It looks beautiful on screen, and it’s really the best thing we have to combat light pollution and dark movies.”
Drive-ins have had a rough time with studios recently, which is why the purchase was seen as necessary.
“Hollywood has really just been releasing a lot of movies that are shot at night or shot in the basement—like ‘Barbarian,’ Snyder explained. “We are trying to combat that because they no longer make a drive-in print for us. The studios used to print a special film reel for drive-ins that was just a little bit lighter, so it looked better outside. They don’t do that anymore. Even though it’s all digital now, and they could easily adjust the contrast, they won’t do it for us.”
The newly installed laser projector is now in use on the original screen that has been up since Tibbs opening. They put up the other three screens in the 80s and 90s.
The weather does not just affect how hard it is to see the screens, it also affects how often they repair the screens, though they enjoy the work.
“We do take maintenance of the screens very seriously,” Snyder said. “They are big structures, and they do have to hold up to a lot of weather in Indiana. I think I would call it a labor of love versus tedious. We like to redo the screens; we like to improve the property.”
Not only do they work a lot on the screens, they also have to work a lot on their food because they can serve up to 2,000 people in the evening. One night, Tibbs served 400 pounds of nachos total. They serve all ages, which is one of the main reasons they have one of the biggest menus for a drive in across the country.
Tibbs Drive-In also aims to make entertainment accessible through affordable ticket pricing.
“I know what it is like to not have money for entertainment-style activities with your family just because of the cost of something,” said Snyder. “So we try to be very affordable for families because, you know, entertainment is an important part of daily life. It’s not enough to just work and clean and eat and sleep.”
Ticket prices at Tibbs reflect this: $12 for adults and $6 for children, making it some of the most affordable movie tickets in the area.
