Blue Fox Drive in Celebrates 60th Anniversary

Published in News Section of Whidbey Weekly May 23, 2019

If you are from Whidbey Island or the surrounding areas, you probably know about the

Blue Fox Drive Inn off Highway 20. (If not, you are missing out!) This iconic drive inn theatre

has been an integral part of island living, providing wholesome fun to families for over half a

century and drawing in people from near and far. Why is this drive in so popular? There are

many reasons people flock to this business and often max out it’s lot capacity; which can

accommodate up to 325 vehicles. One of them being, it provides us with something of olden

days...wholehearted, simple, clean fun.

Though technology has advanced since drive inn’s had their hay day, Blue Fox Drive Inn

maintains some of the nostalgia in many ways. They offer static free Ryobi radios for check out

with an ID to save your car from dying during the show, in lieu of the old fashioned bulky radios

that attach to your window. They still play the famous “let’s all go to the lobby” promo from

back in the day, and offer freshly made popcorn.

From the snack bar to the go-carts and the arcade, Blue Fox Drive Inn hits a home run

when it comes to providing a fun for all ages experience. With their full kitchen they are able to

offer a huge menu with weekly specials, so customers can enjoy dinner and a movie on site. The

snack bar line often wraps past the arcade as people load up on everything from burgers, spiral

fries, popcorn, and homemade pizza, to giant 100oz keepsake cooler jugs (which you can refill at

every visit for only $3.75). These larger than life drinks are more like mini insulated coolers.

The owner, Darrell Bratt, says, “if you fill one up with ice and water, the next day there will still

be ice in them.” It’s no wonder these jugs are popular!

Starting this week, they will be showing double features five nights a week from

Thursday night through Monday night. Starting June 20th, when school lets out, they will begin

showing movies every night of the week. On occasion they provide a triple feature. They

always show current and new releases. For families with little ones, this allows for a rare

opportunity to catch a box office movie. I frequent the drive in because of, taking my kids to

watch the first feature, which is often a kid friendly show, then catching the second feature while

they sleep. If it gets too late, Darrell Bratt has been known to let visitors stay overnight.

Darrell is only the third owner, taking over the business in 1988 and working hard,

alongside his family, to keep it thriving. Darrell installed the go cart track back in 1988, which is

still a huge attraction. Around the same time, he started playing the National Anthem at the

beginning of the first feature. Darrell explains that “back in the day, the National Anthem was

played before movies” and he wanted to keep that going as homage to country and our service

members. His son, Steven Bratt, has been the driving force behind revamping the arcade and

updating its’ payment system, as well arranging a wide selection of prizes. The new arcade

features top of the line games and an electronic point system attached to a reusable card. This

card can be loaded and reloaded with points that work for both arcade games and the go-cart,

with tickets being automatically stored on it.

The Bratt family has truly done a wonderful job making their drive inn fun for all. This

is evident when one looks at the demographic of patrons on a Friday night, finding an

unparalleled level of diversity in the crowd. Families with babies and toddlers are there, families

with older kids and even teenagers are there too, young people on dates are there, older couples

on dates are there, bros and groups of friends are there...and they are all having fun. This is a

testament to the passion and love the Bratts have for their business, and a driving factor in why

their business is so successful. As they celebrate their 60th anniversary, it is easy to imagine that

they will be around for a very long time. Happy Anniversary, Blue Fox Drive Inn!