Boulevard Drive-In, the iconic theater on Merriam Lane, reopened for its 75th anniversary on Friday night, a free event with a double feature of classic movies — 1978 musical hit Grease! and 1981 adventure flick Raiders of the Lost Ark — in perfect tune with the nostalgic theme of the evening.

The event also featured a classic car show and the opening of a time capsule laid down by Kansas City rock stalwart KY102.

Several hundred attendees from newborn to ancient were a testimony to the enduring attraction of the drive-in movies, though with changing times, the Boulevard is now the only drive-in left in the Kansas City area.

Owner Brian Neal and now-retired programming director John Shipp paid tribute to the theater’s faithful audience through the years, noting how many of them had attended movies even back in the 1960s and 1970s.

Wes Neal, longtime owner of the theater and grandfather of current owner Brian, was the driving force behind the theater in its heyday and through the lean years later. He passed away in September 2024 and was remembered in all the comments.

Shipp, who booked between eight and nine thousand movies at the Boulevard between 1988 and 2022, paid tribute to his boss and friend.  ”Our old buddy Wes Neal didn’t quite make it through to this year, but he gave it one hell of a try. Wes was here as many of you know, you’ve seen him for many years driving up and down the place. But wow, what a wonderful family operation this is.”

KCK mayor Tyrone Garner was on hand to thank the Neal family for their longstanding role in the community and to proclaim Boulevard Drive-In Day in honor of the venerable theater.

The theater’s regular schedule starts this weekend with a double-header of PG-13 Marvel action movies — Thunderbolts, followed by Captain America: Brave New World. The schedule of films can be found on the theater’s Facebook page or at https://boulevarddrivein.com/.