St. Ansgar, Iowa: Outdoor Movies Revived in Saint Ansgar

Steve and Lorraine Beland wanted to create a little nostalgia at the site of the old Bel-Air Drive-In, two miles west of St. Ansgar — and found the perfect fit with their Bel-Aire Winery.

The original Bel-Air Fly-In Drive-In Theater ran from the 1950s through the late 1970s, when strong winds blew down half the screen. The Belands purchased the 13-acre property in 1988 and opened Bel-Aire Winery in 2007.

"We were hoping to bring back a little history of the original site and maybe create a bit of publicity for our winery," said Lorraine.

They secured one-day movie licensing, built a 16'×16' screen from reflective cloth Lorraine sewed herself, and found a projector on eBay. On June 21, about 45 people watched White Lightning for free. Patrons can bring their own food and drink or buy popcorn, hot dogs, and wine from the winery.

"People like the idea of the drive-in concept," says Steve. "We've had many people tell us about the times they attended the old drive-in." Next up: Back to the Future on Aug. 9.