Pull In Off Route 322
Get in Touch with the Southington Drive-In Fan Site
The Saturday-night movies are run by the all-volunteer Southington Drive-In Committee. The property itself sits inside Recreation Park, which the town's Parks and Recreation department manages. Two different phones, two different jobs. Use the right one and you will get the right answer.
- Address
- 995 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike, Southington, Connecticut
- On Show Nights
- Tune to 89.9 FM on your real radio when you pull in
- Drive-In Committee
- @officialsouthingtondrivein on Facebook. Showtimes, weather cancellations, ticket prices, hosting, sponsorships, all of it.
- Parks and Recreation (Property Only)
- (860) 276-6219 for the pavilion and the grounds. They do not run the Saturday movies and cannot answer cancellation questions. See the town's drive-in property page for the full breakdown.
For volunteer signups, sponsorships, or to host a Saturday in a future season, message the official lot through Facebook. They actually answer.
Getting Here
Directions to the Southington Drive-In
995 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike, Southington, Connecticut. Hidden behind a row of trees off Route 322. Tap the button for turn-by-turn from where you are; the town-by-town directions below are the long-form version.
From Hartford
West on I-84 about twenty minutes. Take the Southington exit for Queen Street (Route 10) south. Right on the Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike (Route 322); the drive-in is about a mile in, hidden behind a row of trees off the highway.
From Waterbury
East on I-84 about ten minutes. Take the Southington exit and follow signs to Route 322. The Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike runs straight east from there to the lot.
From Meriden
Pick up Route 322 west, the road literally named the Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike. The drive-in sits along the road about ten minutes in, just before the Cheshire town line.
From New Britain
West on Route 72 to I-84 west, or take Route 372 west to Queen Street (Route 10) south. Either route puts you on the Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike (Route 322) in about fifteen minutes.
From Bristol
South on Route 229 through Southington center. The road meets Route 10; turn south, then right onto the Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike. About twelve minutes door to door.
From Cheshire
North on Route 10 or Route 70 to the Southington line. The drive-in is on Route 322 just over the border, about ten minutes from downtown Cheshire.
From Plainville
South on Route 10 (Queen Street) through the center of Southington. Right onto the Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike (Route 322); the lot is about ten minutes total from Plainville center.
From Wallingford
North on Route 5 through Meriden, then west on the Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike (Route 322). About fifteen minutes from Wallingford center to the lot. I-91 north to the Meriden exits is the alternate if traffic on 5 looks heavy.
Visitor Questions
Southington Drive-In parking, accessibility, and committee contact
Directions are covered in the section above. Below: the gate-side questions visitors call ahead about.
How do I get to the drive-in?
995 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike, Southington, Connecticut. It is on Route 322 in the western part of town, behind a row of trees off the highway. Look for the marquee sign at the entrance to Recreation Park.Is parking included?
Yes. Your carload admission is your parking space. The lot holds about three hundred cars parked single file facing the screen, and the gate crew stages older and lower vehicles closer in so they don't block sightlines for the taller ones behind.Is the drive-in accessible?
Yes. The drive-in has accessible parking, accessible restrooms, and a wheelchair-accessible pavilion. One thing to plan for: the lot surface is mostly gravel with some patches of asphalt these days, and there is gravel around the cement at the pavilion. Day-of questions about the easiest route from the lot to the pavilion are answered fastest through the official Facebook page.Are pets allowed?
Service animals welcome. Other pets, please leave at home. It is a dark, crowded lot in the summer and the volunteers can't run interference all night.How do I reach the committee about sponsorship or to host?
Two ways. The Drive-In Committee's official Facebook page handles all show-related inquiries. Or call Southington Parks and Recreation at (860) 276-6219. Parks and Rec does not run the Saturday movies (they cannot tell you if a show is canceled or not), but they handle the property itself and can connect you to the committee. The town's drive-in property page has the full breakdown at https://www.southingtonct.gov/departments/recreation/driveinproperty.php.
Unofficial Fan Created Site
For weather updates, line-up changes, or cancellation notices please check the Facebook page.