Entry No. 20 — the Grand Junction file — filed under: roadside-americana
Star Drive-In Theatre
“A 102-mph tornado flattened the original screen in 1974; the replacement went up in ten days.”
George and Elizabeth DeVries lit this screen on April 19, 1950 — The Younger Brothers on the bill — and their daughter Pam still runs the booth herself, seven nights a week all summer. That makes the Star the oldest drive-in in America still in its founding family's hands. A 102-mph tornado flattened the original screen in 1974; the 80-by-90-foot replacement went up in ten days. John Wayne signed autographs here after shooting True Grit nearby. Cash only, 360 cars, double features under actual stars.
The story
On April 19, 1950, George and Elizabeth DeVries queued up The Younger Brothers and lit up a high-desert screen on the eastern edge of Montrose. Seven decades later, their daughter Pam still runs the projection booth herself seven nights a week all summer long. That quiet persistence makes the Star the oldest drive-in in America continuously operated by its founding family.
It hasn't been a smooth run. In 1974, a 102-mph tornado tore through the valley and flattened the original screen into scrap metal. Instead of folding, the family raised an 80-by-90-foot replacement in just ten days flat. That kind of stubborn local grit fits the location—this is the exact lot where John Wayne hung out signing autographs for locals after wrapping scenes for True Grit nearby.
What it's like
Pulling off East Miami Road after an hour's drive down US-50 from Grand Junction feels like turning into a living relic, but pay attention to the ground rules: the gate and concession stand are strictly cash-only, so hit a bank ATM in town before you show up. You will want to steer into the 360-car lot well before dusk to claim a center-row spot before it fills front-to-back. Sound comes straight through your FM radio or from the classic pole speakers hooked onto your window. Grab buttered popcorn from the family snack bar, roll down the windows, and prepare to stay through both halves of a summer double feature.
The move: Bring actual cash, claim a middle-row spot before dusk, and split buttered popcorn from the family's snack bar through both halves of the double feature.
📍 Before you go The entrance is off East Miami Road on Montrose's east side, a bit over an hour down US-50 from Grand Junction. The gate and snack bar are cash only, so hit an ATM in town first; the 360-car lot fills front-to-back, and arriving before dusk gets you a center row. Sound comes through your FM dial or the old in-car pole speakers. It runs summer evenings only — pair it with a late-afternoon rim drive at Black Canyon of the Gunnison, fifteen minutes east.
- 📍 Montrose
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 600 E. Miami Rd, Montrose, CO 81401
Hours: Added 2026-06-11 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park - Night Sky Programs & AstroFest — Take a late-afternoon rim drive at Black Canyon of the Gunnison, fifteen minutes east, before heading down for dusk at the drive-in.
- Phelanies — Grab a drink in downtown Montrose before heading east down Miami Road for the double feature.
- Museum of the Mountain West — Tour Richard Fike's relocated 28-building historic town earlier in the day just two miles down the road.
- Tru Vu Drive-In — Compare Western Slope drive-in histories by pairing this spot with Delta's 1955 screen twenty-one miles north.
Good to know
Is the Star Drive-In cash only?
Yes. Both the entry gate and the snack bar take cash only, so grab cash from an ATM in Montrose before arriving.
How do you listen to the movie sound?
Audio broadcasts over a local FM radio frequency, or you can use the traditional in-car pole speakers.
When does the drive-in open for the season?
The theater operates on summer evenings only, running seven nights a week throughout the summer season.
How early should I arrive?
Arrive before dusk to secure a spot in the middle rows of the 360-car lot before it fills up.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · coloradosun.com · cpr.org
last checked: 2026-06-11