The last day to catch a movie before the screen goes dark at the Coyote Drive-In is Sept. 7.

Preston Barta

Audio By Carbonatix

Another piece of local magic is sunsetting soon. On Aug. 17, Coyote Drive-In announced it will screen its final movie on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7, closing the projector for good after 14 years under the North Texas sky.

The reasons are practical. According to the press release, the closure ties directly to the Trinity River Vision and the long-awaited Panther Island project. Under the drive-in’s original lease with the Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD), the agreement would end once construction began on two new canals and a 3-acre park. With that milestone arriving this fall, TRWD exercised its right to terminate the lease. Concrete and canals are coming. The screen goes dark.

Coyote opened in 2013 with a boost from investor Jimmy Buffett, and it quickly became more than a novelty. It hosted a Buffett concert, a high school graduation, an outdoor ice rink and Fourth of July fireworks shows. During the pandemic, when indoor theaters shuttered and hope felt thin, drive-ins offered a rare, safe joy—and, briefly, it seemed the format might roar back for good.

“When we opened Coyote Drive-In, we hoped to create more than just a place to watch movies; we wanted to create a place where families and friends could come together and make lasting memories,” managing partner Glenn Solomon wrote in the release. “Your support made Coyote Drive-In what it became, and we will always be thankful for the role you played in our success.”

Solomon praised Chris Fortune, who has served as general manager since the drive-in opened, calling him “the heart and soul” of the place.

Fans felt that heart. One commenter on Coyote Drive-In’s Facebook page said it plainly: “I love taking my kids there. It is the absolute best theater experience in Fort Worth.”

They’re right to mourn. Drive-ins turn ordinary nights into events. Watching “Harry Potter” under real stars makes every spell feel a little more believable. Seeing “Twister” on a windy day will make your heart beat a little faster. New releases, retro screenings—it all lands differently outdoors.

Coyote’s loss stings more because the region keeps shrinking its options. The Lewisville location closed in 2018. Once Coyote goes dark, only two drive-ins remain within reach: the Galaxy Drive-In in Ennis and the Brazos Drive-In out in Granbury.

So, consider this your last call. Between now and Sept. 7, there’s no shortage of reasons to make the trip. Families can catch “Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie” or “Toy Story 5.” Those after something more grown-up have “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and “The End of Oak Street” to choose from. And still on the horizon before closing night: the next “Insidious” installment and “Coyote v. Acme,” which, given the circumstances, feels almost too fitting to pass up.

The article you just read is made possible by a mix of advertising, sponsorships and reader support. As advertising revenue continues to shift, reader support plays a vital role in sustaining the reporting, investigations, restaurant and arts coverage, and storytelling our community relies on. Become a member today and help keep our journalism free and independent.

Select how much you'd like to contribute

Support Us Today

Preston Barta has been a journalist in the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 2010. He has contributed to several media outlets, including 92.1 KTFW, the North Texas Daily, Fresh Fiction, and the Denton Record-Chronicle. As a member of the Critics Choice Association and the Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association, he is actively involved in media critique.