Vehicles kicked up dust as they filled the lot of the Coyote Drive-In for a sold-out Friday night showing of ”Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”
Just beyond the giant outdoor screen, the towering skyline of downtown Fort Worth cast a warm and ambient glow against the night sky. Moviegoers switched off their headlights, tuned their radios to 107.3 FM and settled into truck beds, lawn chairs and front seats.
“The view is amazing,” Jayden Mello said as she stood in line for concessions.
Film fans and families gathered in the summer heat on Aug. 28, not just for the movie, but to find solace in a disappearing piece of Americana while they still can.
After being open for 14 years, the Coyote Drive-In will screen its final films on Labor Day, Sept. 7.
Its closing isn’t due to financial reasons. Tarrant Regional Water District owns the land and has terminated Coyote’s lease. The land will be used to expand the Panther Island development project with two new canals and a 3-acre park.
Jimena Estrada and Hannah Camacho both worked at the drive-in three years ago and have new jobs now, but neither could pass up the opportunity to come back and tend bar until Coyote closes.
“We’re acting like it’s not work,” Camacho said. “We’re so excited. Genuinely, I’ve been looking forward to this all week.”
The bar is located under the drive-in’s huge pavilion. It serves the typical beer and wine, but the signature drink is the Coyote Nectar. It’s a unique, fruity and house-made alcoholic beverage.
The pavilion also includes concession stands and food trucks, engulfing the area in the enticing aromas of popcorn, funnel cakes and tacos. People walk past with their dogs, while families with children enjoy the playground and other moviegoers take advantage of seating areas equipped with free retro video games.
Camacho said she came to the drive-in every Fourth of July as a kid. Her father worked off-duty security at Coyote and would bring her with him.
“I saw the first ‘Minions’ movie here, and I’m about to be 22 next week, so it’s definitely been a big part of my life” she said. “I had to have been like 8 or 9.”
She has grown to love fast-paced movies that make use of modern music, like “The Great Gatsby” and her all-time favorite, “Fight Club.” “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” falls under this umbrella with a soundtrack featuring Tame Impala, Bad Bunny and Steve Lacy.
Camacho reminisced about formative experiences she had at the drive-in like shooting fireworks at 2 a.m. and socializing with friends.
“I came on my first date here in sixth grade,” she said.
Estrada explained how Coyote was a great job opportunity for young people, including her and her younger cousin.
“It was my first job and my cousin’s first job,” she said.
Estrada said the drive-in employees’ close relationships have helped shape all of their lives. Her brother also worked at Coyote before her, where he met his girlfriend, NW Campus student and Coyote operations manager Emily Ramirez.
Ramirez has worked at Coyote Drive-In since 2019.
“I think we’re really special, and that’s the reason why I stayed for so long,” she said. “I love this place.”
Camacho praised Ramirez for being a great boss and taking initiatives to bring the staff even closer together, including hosting Bible study sessions.
Ramirez picked up on a surprising pattern – most of their business comes from a younger demographic.
“Believe it or not, it’s really popular among young families and also young couples and teenagers and friends,” she said. “You would think maybe an older generation, but no, it’s a lot of the younger generation that really wants to be here.”
She attributes this trend to the younger generation’s desire for isolation and intimacy.
“It’s a sanctuary for a lot of us,” she said. “You can just be in your own personal space, own person bubble, and enjoy the movie without hearing somebody.”
Community members have expressed their emotions about the closing of Coyote to the staff.
“I had someone come in today, and he was just telling me how sad he was about this closing because he proposed to his wife here, and they showed it on the big screen,” Camacho said.
Ramirez sees the impact that Coyote’s closing will have on the community as a whole.
“It hurts not just the theater community, but a lot of us,” she said. “I know a lot of parents come here and bring their child who are either disabled or who are going through stuff. And this is a good spot to be.”
As some moviegoers began to leave the Friday night showing, Spider-Man fans waited through the credits for the inevitable post-credits scene Marvel’s movies are known for, and the employees stayed even later to complete their work.
“It’s been an amazing journey,” Ramirez said. “Our last shift is going to be really sad, but we have hope that there will be another drive-in here in Fort Worth.”
