Twin Rivers Drive-In shuts down for 2023, looking for new home

KAMLOOPS — The Twin Rivers Drive-In movie theatre is looking for a new home in 2024 and beyond.

In a news release issued Tuesday (Aug. 22) evening, the Kamloops Film Society (KFS) says it closed the Twin Rivers Drive-In for the 2023 season due to its blow-up screen not being sustainable in the Kamloops winds at the Tournament Capital Ranch. KFS says the screen has ripped repeatedly throughout the summer.

“Without the inherent amenities of McArthur Island, it has been a difficult go for the Twin Rivers Drive-In,” Dušan Magdolen, KFS Executive Director says. “In both 2022 and 2023, we have faced a plethora of obstacles, most of which we have ultimately surmounted. We have not given up yet because we’ve seen how excited people are for the drive-in experience. We will give it one more try, but we will need someone with land to step forward to help.”

KFS says it’s looking to create a more permanent screen that handles better in the wind in 2024. To achieve that, the society says it’s looking for a location that will commit to the Twin Rivers Drive-In for more than three years.

KFS is looking for three-to-four acres of land, that’s flat or sloped to one side, that can be used for July, August and September. The site would need to be within a 30-minute drive of Kamloops, vehicle access from at least one point and allow small cars to enter. KFS says amenities such as power and washrooms would be welcomed but are not necessary.

“Even though we will only be on site from July to September, we will need to leave some items, such as a more permanent screen, and perhaps a concession/box office in the future, on site through the winter months,” KFS states.

KFS says it can offer a small lease payment and sponsorship credit.

The Twin Rivers Drive-In started in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

More information can be found online.