Drive-in fan: 'You want to keep that tradition going'

Fernando Silva loves the McHenry Outdoor Theatre.

"It's pretty great!" the 37-year-old West Dundee resident says. "We come out about 10 times a year. We love it."

His daughter Natalie, 4, squeals in kiddie bliss while riding on a tiny motorized carousel just outside the drive-in's semi-subterranean snack shop.

"It's good for the kids," Silva says. "It's nice for the family to come out and enjoy it and not get stuck in a seat somewhere. It's nice to be outdoors, especially in nice weather."

The father of two also has a sentimental reason for loading up the car for a Saturday night of seeing a double bill of "Up" and "Earth."

"It reminds me of the old days when I was a kid. You want to keep that tradition going," he says. "It's pretty neat to see my kids grow up with the same thing. Drive-ins are pretty rare nowadays."