Vineland, New Jersey · Founded 1949 · Building: 1949
New Jersey's only operating drive-in, revived in 2004 after the original Vineland theater sat closed for 17 years.
Milton Smith opened the Delsea Drive-In in Vineland on April 29, 1949, with Drums starring Raymond Massey. The drive-in closed in 1987 and remained dormant for 17 years. John "Doc" DeLeonardis and his wife, Jude, bought the property in 2003 and reopened the rebuilt Delsea in June 2004.
Milton Smith opens the Delsea Drive-In in Vineland with Drums starring Raymond Massey.
Source: New Jersey Monthly, "Behind New Jersey's Last Drive-In Theater"; The Daily Journal, "Local History: Vineland's Delsea Drive-In opens in 1949"
A 65-foot screen is raised off South Delsea Drive near Grant Avenue as the original drive-in is prepared for operation.
Source: The Daily Journal, "Local History: Vineland's Delsea Drive-In opens in 1949"
The Delsea Drive-In closes after 38 years of operation.
Source: Visit New Jersey, "Delsea Drive-In Theatre"; New Jersey Monthly, "Behind New Jersey's Last Drive-In Theater"
John and Jude DeLeonardis buy the closed 17-acre Delsea property. Their original idea of building a skating park gives way to rebuilding the drive-in.
Source: New Jersey Monthly, "Behind New Jersey's Last Drive-In Theater"; Jersey's Best, "A love story under the stars"
John and Jude DeLeonardis reopen the rebuilt Delsea Drive-In with a double feature of The Bourne Supremacy and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.
Source: New Jersey Monthly, "Behind New Jersey's Last Drive-In Theater"
The DeLeonardises mark 20 years since reopening the Delsea Drive-In.
Source: Jersey's Best, "A love story under the stars"
The Delsea begins its 2026 season with double features, continuing as New Jersey's only operating drive-in cinema.
Source: NJ.com, "Double features kick off Vineland Drive-In movie theater 2026 season"; Delsea Drive-In official website
Every claim gets rated. A business's own website can never earn "documented."
Current New Jersey tourism, local reporting, and the theater's active 2026 materials identify the Delsea as the state's only or last operating drive-in cinema. The claim refers to current operation, not to uninterrupted operation since 1949.
The original Delsea closed in 1987 and remained closed for 17 years. John and Jude DeLeonardis bought the site in 2003 and reopened a rebuilt Delsea in June 2004.
Milton Smith opened the original Delsea in 1949. John and Jude DeLeonardis purchased the long-closed property in 2003 and reopened the rebuilt theater in 2004.
The Delsea Drive-In operated continuously without ever closing since 1949.
The original Delsea closed in 1987 and was closed for 17 years before John and Jude DeLeonardis reopened a rebuilt theater in June 2004.
Source: Visit New Jersey, "Delsea Drive-In Theatre"; New Jersey Monthly, "Behind New Jersey's Last Drive-In Theater"
John and Jude DeLeonardis opened the Delsea Drive-In in 1949.
Milton Smith opened the original Delsea on April 29, 1949. The DeLeonardises purchased the closed property in 2003 and revived the theater in 2004.
Source: New Jersey Monthly, "Behind New Jersey's Last Drive-In Theater"; The Daily Journal, "Local History: Vineland's Delsea Drive-In opens in 1949"
The Delsea survived because John and Jude DeLeonardis chose to rebuild a long-closed drive-in rather than redevelop the property for another use. Their restoration turned a former 17-acre drive-in site into a working two-screen cinema that now carries New Jersey's remaining drive-in tradition. Its story is revival after interruption, not continuous operation from 1949.
Delsea Drive-In opened in Vineland, New Jersey, on April 29, 1949, when Milton Smith premiered Drums at the new theater. It closed in 1987 and remained dormant until John and Jude DeLeonardis bought the property in 2003. After rebuilding the site, they reopened Delsea Drive-In in June 2004.
No. Delsea opened in 1949 and was closed from 1987 to 2004, so it does not hold an oldest-continuously-operating drive-in title. Its verified distinction is that it is New Jersey's only currently operating drive-in movie theater.
John "Doc" DeLeonardis and his wife, Jude DeLeonardis, own and operate the Delsea Drive-In. They bought the closed property in 2003, rebuilt the theater, and reopened it in 2004.
2203 S Delsea Dr, Vineland, NJ 08360
The Delsea operates seasonally with double and occasional triple features; check the official site for current screening dates, box-office hours, ticket rules, and weather updates.