El Rancho Drive-In opens for 60th season

There could be some chilly nights ahead in the car, but if you're ready for summer to get here already, so is the El Rancho Drive-in in Sparks, which opens for its 60th season on Friday.

Movies opening this week and starting at 7:45 p.m. include "Hot Tub Time Machine," "Repo Men," "Green Zone," "Alice in Wonderland" and "She's Out of My League."

The Friday opening is early for the El Rancho, but West Wind Drive-Ins, which owns the El Rancho, said customers have been asking for them to open. West Wind said that this year's improvements include installation of Technalight, which produces a picture seven times brighter than before and by installing Dolby Stereo that comes through your car stereo. 

The El Rancho remains open while countless other drive-ins across the U.S. have closed, mostly victims of real estate development. It remains a fun and nostalgic way to spend a night, and a cheap one, too.

Admission prices for the double features this year are $6.25 or just $1 for children ages 5-11. April 15 is customer appreciation night, which features free admission to special screenings of "New Moon," "2012" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks 2: The Squeakquel." The El Rancho is at 555 El Rancho Drive between Oddie Boulevard and Prater Way. Details: 775-358-6920.

— Jason Kellner, jkellner@rgj.com