By Joe Soprano [email protected]

Stephanie Dombrowski fills an online food order at the Garden Drive-In concession stand Friday night. Allowing moviegoers to order their snacks online was one of the changes the drive-in made due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fred Adams | For Times Leader

Stephanie Dombrowski fills an online food order at the Garden Drive-In concession stand Friday night. Allowing moviegoers to order their snacks online was one of the changes the drive-in made due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fred Adams | For Times Leader

Area drive-ins open for season with COVID-19 restrictions

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<p>The Williams family from Swoyersville came to the Garden Drive-In’s opening night to see “Trolls World Tour.” From left: Travis, Leia, Espy and Cooper.</p> <p>Fred Adams | For Times Leader</p>

The Williams family from Swoyersville came to the Garden Drive-In’s opening night to see “Trolls World Tour.” From left: Travis, Leia, Espy and Cooper.

Fred Adams | For Times Leader
<p>Cars line up to get tickets at the Garden Drive-In in Hunlock Creek on Friday. It was the first time the drive-in was open this year.</p> <p>Fred Adams | For Times Leader</p>

Cars line up to get tickets at the Garden Drive-In in Hunlock Creek on Friday. It was the first time the drive-in was open this year.

Fred Adams | For Times Leader
<p>Brook Martin, a server at the Garden Drive-In concession stand, hands Raymond Salwoski, 21, of Hanover Township, his food order Friday night.</p> <p>Fred Adams | For Times Leader</p>

Brook Martin, a server at the Garden Drive-In concession stand, hands Raymond Salwoski, 21, of Hanover Township, his food order Friday night.

Fred Adams | For Times Leader
<p>The Garden Drive-In in Hunlock Creek opened for the first time this year on Friday night.</p>

The Garden Drive-In in Hunlock Creek opened for the first time this year on Friday night.
<p>Moviegoers enjoy “Trolls World Tour” at the Garden Drive-In in Hunlock Creek on Friday night.</p>

Moviegoers enjoy “Trolls World Tour” at the Garden Drive-In in Hunlock Creek on Friday night.
<p>George Bobey works the ticket booth at the Garden Drive-In in Hunlock Creek on Friday night. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bobey not only sold tickets but gave parking instructions to drivers as they entered the theater.</p>

George Bobey works the ticket booth at the Garden Drive-In in Hunlock Creek on Friday night. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bobey not only sold tickets but gave parking instructions to drivers as they entered the theater.

The COVID-19 pandemic couldn’t stop one rite of spring as two area drive-in movie theaters opened Friday night for the season – albeit with some new restrictions.

Vehicles were parked six feet apart and there were no lawn chairs scattered about as patrons had to remain inside their vehicles, but the Garden Drive-in in Hunlock Creek and the Moonlite Drive-in in West Wyoming were both showing movies for the first this year Friday night.

At the Moonlite only exact change was accepted for admission and the concession stand was closed. At the Garden, tickets were sold online in addition to the box office and moviegoers were able to order concessions on their mobile devices.

Masks were prevalent at both venues on workers and patrons.

The Moonlite had another show scheduled Saturday night, while the Garden was set to be open Saturday and Sunday.

The Moonlite is showing “The Vast of Night” with the gates opening 6:30 p.m. According to the drive-ins Facebook page, admission is 50 cents per carload for the opening weekend.

The Garden Drive-in, with its two screens, is offering a pair of double features. “Trolls World Tour” and “The Call of the Wild” are on Screen No. 1, while “The Invisible Man” and “The Hunt” are on Screen No. 2. Admission is $7 per person with children 2 and under free. Both double features start at 8:30 p.m.