{"id":105930,"date":"2026-02-05T12:52:20","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T12:52:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/105930\/"},"modified":"2026-02-05T12:52:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T12:52:20","slug":"community-helps-dig-shankweilers-after-snowstorm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/105930\/","title":{"rendered":"Community helps dig Shankweiler’s after snowstorm"},"content":{"rendered":"

When the biggest snowstorm in years dropped about a foot of snow onto the country\u2019s oldest operating drive-in late last month, the owners of North Whitehall Township-based Shankweiler\u2019s Drive-In Theater <\/a>were unsure how to approach the cleanup in time for the weekend\u2019s screenings of the horror movie \u201cThe Iron Lung.\u201d<\/p>\n

Had it not been for the help of some 40 local volunteers, and the call to action from the movie\u2019s director and star, the showings might have been canceled.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was really cool,\u201d owner Matt McClanahan said. \u201cUnexpected.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the storm, a snow plow came in and cleared the lanes at the drive-in, but did not clear the grass, where cars typically park during the showings. Husband-and-wife owners McClanahan and Lauren McChesney took to social media to explain the situation, and followers recommended that the community help out.<\/p>\n

Not long after, they announced a \u201cshovel party\u201d, in which volunteers could help clear the snow and get a complimentary pass for sometime this season, as well as popcorn, in hopes to get the space cleared for the weekend showings.<\/p>\n

The couple purchased the theater<\/a> in 2022. There had been snowstorms during that time, but none that required plows for the field. This was the biggest one in several years, and cleanup was going to be more extensive as a result.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe weren\u2019t sure if it could be done,\u201d McClanahan said.<\/p>\n

The event caught the attention of YouTuber Mark \u201cMarkiplier\u201d Fischbach, who directed and starred in the film, and he reached out to the theater to see if he could help. He shared it on Instagram, and encouraged people to come out and lend a hand if they could. He also paid for food and snacks for the roughly 40 volunteers who showed up. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Friends, neighbors and fans of Fischbach brought shovels, snow blowers and plows to help clear the spots out. They planned to clear the snow for about three hours, but it only took about half that.<\/p>\n

With the help of the community, the spots were cleared for the weekend showings, which were attended by a few hundred people.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou won\u2019t find a more unique venue playing that movie,\u201d McClanahan said.<\/p>\n

As a business owner, he said, it is their job to support the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen that support comes the other direction, it\u2019s never expected,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd it\u2019s heartwarming.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another positive aspect of the cleanup was that it showed people that the drive-in is open year-round, something that was normal for drive-ins back when they were more prevalent, McClanahan said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Iron Lung\u201d will be screened again Friday and Saturday. The drive-in will be closed Sunday for the Super Bowl, but the theater still will be selling jumbo popcorn ahead of the game. The following weekend the theater will have \u201cdate night\u201d showings of \u201cWuthering Heights\u201d for Valentine\u2019s Day.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s become an important wintertime escape for a lot of our regulars,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Why has Lehigh Valley seen so much snow so far this winter?<\/a><\/p>\n

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