Imagine stepping into a dark movie theater, the smell of freshly popped, buttery popcorn filling the air. You’re carrying a tall soda, and as you sip on its curly straw and head to your seat, ice cubes clink together. The bag of Twizzlers in your side pocket crinkles as lower yourself onto the plush red leather chair. You lay your snacks in your lap, silence your cellphone, and settle in for an hour or two of ultimate entertainment.
Those who live in and travel to Ocean City are quite familiar with the cinematic experience. Now, the resort town’s beloved longtime destination, Sun & Surf Cinema, is set to close after 50 memorable years.
“After 50 years of movie memories, sharing popcorn and laughter on bad beach days and cozy nights, we will be closing our doors forever,” said the movie theater in a July 26 Facebook announcement.
The theater, located on 14301 Coastal Highway, is currently open daily and will officially close its doors on Labor Day – Monday, Sept. 5.
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“We have so many great memories of the theater, from serving local customers year-round to being a vacation saver for a bad beach day,” said Donald Fox, President and CEO of Fox Theatres.
From date nights to familial gatherings to best friend get-togethers, the theater has created countless core memories for its customers over the years.
Visitors still have time to stop in and enjoy their last movies on Sun & Surf Cinema’s big screens, including new films such as “Nope” and “Where the Crawdads Sing” and cult classics such as “Jaws” and “Dirty Dancing,” before the theater closes for good.
Olivia Minzola covers communities on the Lower Shore. Contact her with tips and story ideas at ominzola@delmarvanow.com.
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