It was a hot sticky August evening. The sun still hung high, but folks eagerly anticipated the thrill that the darkness would bring as they pulled into Hull’s Drive-In Theatre, outside of Lexington in Rockbridge County, Va.

It was just after 5:30 p.m., and even though the outdoor theater didn’t technically open until 7, vehicles filled with families lined up at the ticket booth and along the stone drive that meets U.S. 11. Everyone wanted to get a good spot on the theater’s tiered lawn.

Story by Jenny Jones • Photography by Pete Marovich