Field of Scenes

Pulling off the highway and into Field of Scenes is like stepping sideways in time to a more communal, analog era—one where the glow of a drive-in movie screen against summer twilight still signals togetherness. Families pile out of minivans with blankets and bug spray. Kids dart between parked cars, chasing basketballs or tumbling over the mini-golf course before dusk settles in. The anticipation builds as the sun dips below the horizon: parents set up folding chairs, neighbors share snacks, and the crackle of radio static mingles with laughter. The theater’s two screens light up with back-to-back features, often pairing family-friendly adventures with something a bit edgier for teens and adults. It’s a rare double-feature value these days. Inside the modest concession stand, you’ll find classic drive-in fare—popcorn, pizza, cheese curds, funnel cakes—but patience is sometimes required. On busy evenings, overwhelmed teenage staff hustle to keep up with orders, and the food can range from surprisingly good to just passable. Some nights, the lines drag on long enough that people joke about packing their own dinner. Parking can be a wild card: some regulars guard traditions of front-facing windshields and unobstructed views, while others embrace tailgate culture—hatchbacks popped high, camping chairs spread out in communal rings. Occasionally this creates tension; not everyone loves watching through someone’s raised SUV hatch or over a jacked-up pickup parked too far forward. When it works, though, there’s an unspoken camaraderie—a shared nostalgia for simple pleasures under open sky. Field of Scenes isn’t a polished urban cineplex or a throwback museum piece clinging to the past. It’s very much alive—sometimes rough around the edges—but deeply woven into local summer rituals. In Freedom and throughout the Fox Cities region, this is where families reconnect across generations and newcomers are welcomed by fireflies and flickering film.