A blast from the past: Streator Eagle 6 debuts its drive-in movie theater

Set the time machine back to Sept. 18, 1982.

That's when Streator's former drive-in movie theater on Route 23 north of town showed its last movies.

On Friday night, Streator Eagle 6 opened a pop-up drive-in movie theater in its parking lot. Unable to open the inside of its facility because of the state's coronavirus measures, the theater attached a screen to the exterior of its building and provided sound through an FM transmitter. Under the state's Phase 3 guidelines, drive-in movie theaters are allowed to open.

Fittingly, the movie that played was "Back to the Future" – some Streatorites felt the experience was a trip to the past.

Streator resident Mike Kaschke – who was there with his wife Kim and five children, John (with his girlfriend Taylor), Sarah, Ben, Isabel and Gretchen – recalled "Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo" was the last movie he watched at the former Streator drive-in.

With their children home visiting from out of state and it being Kim's birthday, they decided to get out of the house.

"This is great," Mike said. "We wanted to come out and support a Streator business."

Rose Fairall, of Streator – a regular moviegoer – was so excited, she drove her DeLorean to the theater.

Rose said her late husband Sam bought the car in 1990, drove it for about a year and then parked it in the garage. After it sat there for two decades, her brother-in-law Ken Hillyer repaired it for her.

She's had a blast driving it the past two weeks, taking it to two car shows and winning trophies.

When she saw Ken post on his Facebook page that "Back to the Future" was going to be shown at Streator Eagle's 6's drive-in, she knew she had to bring it. Management at the movie theater even roped it off next to the building for guests to get photos with it.

Rose sat in a lawn chair in the front row with her friend Roseann Ragusa of Streator. The two are regulars at the movie theater, visiting almost every Tuesday when it was open.

Friday's showing of "Back to the Future" sold out. Streator Eagle 6 Manager Rachel Rapson said the theater designated 43 spots for cars.

While the show sold out, the theater is providing extra outdoor seating and an open lawn for anyone without a reservation to buy a ticket. Extra radios were put on tables for those attendees. There was plenty of outdoor seating available when Friday's show started shortly after 9 p.m.

Rapson said theater staff will ask folks pulling into the parking lot without buying a ticket, or pulling into nearby parking lots, to leave. She is encouraging them instead to park at a nearby lot, buy a ticket and watch from the lawn.

She said while the staff cannot monitor the food people are bringing in, concessions help fund the movie theater. Guests can pre-order their popcorn and concessions online when buying their tickets. Staff also walked around car to car with menus.

"This is our first time, so we're working out the kinks," Rapson said.

Streator Eagle 6 will show "E.T. the Extra Terrestrial" on Saturday and "The Bourne Ultimatum" on Sunday. Both showings will begin at about 8:45 p.m.