History
History of Joy‑Lan Drive‑In
Joy‑Lan Drive‑In has been lighting up the night sky in Dade City since 1950, making it one of Florida’s longest‑running drive‑in theatres and a rare surviving piece of classic roadside Americana.
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Beginnings in 1950
Joy‑Lan was announced in the local Dade City newspaper in early 1950 and officially opened on March 9, 1950 with the film Challenge to Lassie.
Built for theatre operator Carl Floyd of Floyd Theatres, Joy‑Lan was promoted as a modern twin to Tampa’s popular drive‑ins, with RCA sound and rows of in‑car speakers serving a few hundred cars along US‑301 just north of downtown.
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A local tradition for families
Through the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, Joy‑Lan became a favorite night out for Dade City and Pasco County—families in pajamas, date nights under the neon, and long summer double features that drew people from surrounding towns.
Admission in the early years was only a few cents, but the experience was the same idea it is today: drive in, tune in, and enjoy movies under the stars with your own car as your seat.
Threat of closure and a second life
Like many drive‑ins, Joy‑Lan was nearly lost in the 1990s. The corporate chain that then owned the theatre closed it in March 1995 during a wave of drive‑in shutdowns across Florida.
In 1996, independent operator Harold Spears formed Sun South Theatres, purchased the property, and reopened Joy‑Lan on October 11, 1996, giving the drive‑in a second life instead of letting the screen go dark for good.
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Swap Shop mornings and digital nights
​During its closed period, the Joy‑Lan lot began hosting a swap shop/flea market on weekend mornings—a tradition that continues today with vendors selling produce, plants, tools, collectibles, and more before the sun goes down and the movies begin again.​
Between 2011 and 2013, Joy‑Lan upgraded from film to digital projection; even after a storm ripped away part of the screen, it was rebuilt so the drive‑in could keep showing first‑run movies on what local histories describe as the largest digital screen in Pasco County.​
In 2024, a hurricane severely damaged a large portion of the screen once again, but the structure was repaired so Joy‑Lan could continue its long tradition of outdoor movies in Dade City.
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Joy‑Lan today
Today, Joy‑Lan operates as Pasco County’s only remaining drive‑in theatre, offering double features, classic drive‑in concessions, and the long‑running Swap Shop for a new generation of moviegoers.
More than 75 years after that first show in 1950, the goal is still the same: a simple, affordable night out where families, couples, and friends can make memories under the stars in Dade City.
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