Next month, the Skyview Drive-In in Belleville celebrates its 60th year in business.

In the peak year of 1958, America had 5,000 drive-ins, which outnumbered indoor theaters. Now there are only about 400 “ozoners” left, and the family-run Skyview is the last remaining outdoor theater in the metro area. While other local drive-ins have been bulldozed for subdivisions and shopping malls, the twin-screen Skyview continues to thrive.

To celebrate the anniversary, the theater will have a week of special events, from July 6 to 12. There will be hayrides, a miniature train, face-painting for the kids and fireworks. There will be live music on the 8th and 9th, and on the 8th, Fox 2 television personalities will be on hand. Customers who donate a can of food that night will receive $2 off their admission.

On July 6 and 7, the drivers of the first 60 cars will get in for the original admission price: 60 cents.

The movies for the anniversary-week festivities will be “Transformers 2″ and “Star Trek” on the big front screen, and “Ice Age 3″ and “Night at the Museum 2″ on the secondary screen. The box office opens at 7 and the movies start at 9.

For more information and direction to the Skyview, visit the theater’s website.   For information about other drive-ins, past and present (including the half dozen operating ozoners within a hundred miles of St. Louis), visit www.drive-ins.com.

The Skyview's distinctive sign. (Photo from theater Web site.)