By Page H. Gifford
Correspondent
Fork Union celebrated the re-opening of the Fork Union Drive-in on Sept. 13 after it had closed in 2011 following the passing of owner Frayser White. Originally opened in 1953, it was once open seven days a week and quickly became a weekend destination for families and friends. With strong community support, White’s three daughters, now owners, partnered with Ron Unnerstall and his family to revive the drive-in.
The hope for the future of the drive-in is to once again feature movies and classic films, as well as a place for other outdoor events.
“There are considerable upgrades needed to get the Drive-In back to its glory days status. We need to rebuild the movie screen, update the movie equipment, modernize the concession stand menu, and upgrade and expand the bathrooms and entrance,” said Unnerstall. “We plan to open for movies the first weekend of April. However, in the meantime, we wanted to open our gates to the community before then, to celebrate the reopening of this wonderful venue. So, this event is being sponsored by us, although we of course would welcome sponsors for future events.”
A team evaluated the feasibility of reopening the Drive-In early last year. In spring, steps were taken to initiate the process and plan community events. To celebrate, they hosted a car and craft show on Sept. 13, opening the gates at 10 a.m., showcasing over 100 antique cars, local vendors, food from the concession stand, wine, beer, and live music, followed by fireworks at dusk.
“This first event is to celebrate and signal that the drive-in and Fork Union is back,” he said, and added they will be planning similar events and the grand opening of the movie venue starting in the spring of 2026. Their next event will be a Halloween theme in October for families.
They spent the spring and summer developing the plans and obtaining the necessary permits.
“The renovations to the concession stand, including a new pizza oven, air fryers, and many other upgrades will make the food experience amazing,” he said. “We will be breaking ground this fall on a new set of bathrooms and an expanded entrance. This winter will be spent rebuilding the movie screen, as the current one was in bad shape and starting to fall apart. We dismantled it during the summer and plan to rebuild a new one by the end of the year.”
Fork Union residents are excited and positive regarding the venue reopening.
“We have overwhelming support from the community” he said. “This is a great addition to the community, and we hope this will help support economic development in the county.”
For more information about upcoming events, visit https://forkuniondrivein.com/ or on Facebook.
