Drive-In Movies

Cascade Drive-In


Movies under the stars... With the weather be on the up-and-up, an outdoor movie seemed more than appealing. The weather stays nice at night and made for a nice change of pace in comparison to the typical -10 degree weather found inside the movie theater.

The Crowd
As with most movies, it depends on the film itself. If you go to see Toy Story, like myself, expect a crowd varying from extremely young children to the grandparents that may have taken them. The crowd typically doesn't matter. Turn up the stereo in your car loud enough and you won't hear a soul around you and no one will put up too much of a complaint because they're there to watch and listen to the same movie...

The Drinks
It's a movie theater, so expect the typical soft drink menu. Nothing too surprising here.

The Grub
The food on the other hand is something worth your while. At Cascade you are given the option to bring charcoal and cook up your own grub on the grills they provide. Always a plus. A movie with your own feast is never a bad thing. The grills are give and take with the condition and cleanliness. I suppose it is all dependent on the time of day and fluctuation of customers. It never hurts to bring either a grill brush, a spray bottle of water, or tinfoil to ensure that the grill to be used is up to your standards. As far as cooking goes, I opted to go slightly further than the typical burger. A blue cheese burger.

Image courtesy of YumSugar.com


If you haven't made one yourself, it's never too late to give it a shot. Roughly three pounds of your choice of ground beef, anywhere from 4-6 oz of crumbled blue cheese, a liberal amount of bacon, red pepper flakes, 1/2 cup of chives, a teaspoon of dry mustard, another teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. The burger alone will make your movie experience worthwhile.

The Venue
The Cascade Drive-In is a great place to bring family, friends, significant other, etc. They are open rain or shine and if the weather drops and is too cold for your taste they offer portable heaters and speakers for your car as well. Always a benefit. I found that the blankets are typically a safe bet, and it won't cost you any extra cash aside from the ticket.

Location
Cascade Drive-in
1100 E. North Ave. West Chicago, IL 60185



My Opinion
If the weather looks promising, head out. Tickets are $9.00, better than most standard movie theaters. The addition of the grills to cook your own food is an extremely clever idea, and one that I hope more outdoor theaters adopt. Put on your chef hat and make some grub that everyone will enjoy along with the movie. You can't go wrong with Cascade, just don't expect everyone you bring to say the same when you're the one who overcooked the hamburgers.