Kanopolis Drive-In prepares to reopen more than year after closure

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - About a year and a half since a small town attraction in Kanopolis, Kansas closed, a revival is coming up. The Kanopolis Drive-In Theater reopens May 5.

In December 2021, a wind storm slammed the drive-in, damaging much of its equipment.

“It tore us up a little bit,” said Josh Webb who took ownership of the historic drive-in in 2011.

With repairs complete, Webb said he’s looking forward to again showcasing new movies on the big outdoor screen.

“We try to be a first-run movie theater,” he said.

Webb said he wants the experience to be like it as when the Kanopolis Drive-In first opened in 1952.

“Try to maintain that older feel. We got the older cash registers, people expect to see that old popcorn machine. If you had some brand new one, it would just look out of place,” he said.

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