The Twilight Drive-In, located in Langley, announced with a "heavy heart" Thursday (June 15) that the summer 2023 and 2024 seasons will be the last for the outdoor movie theatre, devastating thousands of Metro Vancouverites.
The business, which first opened in 2005, is known for its retro vibes and can hold up to 100 cars.
In a recent Facebook post, Twilight alleged the closure is due to a 260 per cent increase in property taxes over the last three years. "With 72 per cent this year alone, our landlord has informed us that they will not be renewing our lease," reads the post.
Twilight is making the announcement over a year in advance to give fans plenty of notice so they can experience the drive-in over the next two summers.
"We hope that you will spread the word about the only drive-in movie theatre, so that those who have never experienced a drive-in, may do so before the opportunity is gone forever," the post continues. "It is definitely something everyone should experience at least once in their life."
The post concludes: "We want to thank everyone for the tremendous support over the past 18 years, and we hope that we will see you at the drive-in to make some more terrific memories before we drive off into the sunset."
The announcement was met with dismay from over 1,500 commenters, many of whom expressed hope that the drive-in might reopen at another location. Some have suggested the Mission Raceway.
"This is heartbreaking news! Such a shame," responds one comment. "Can anything be done to change this? We’ve been coming to the drive-in for years and years."
The theatre is currently playing the new Flash movie and Spiderman Across the Spider-verse until June 22. Subsequent movie showings can be found on the Twilight Drive-In website along with special deals for couples on Tuesday nights and groups on Thursdays.
