![]() “Garth Brooks did a prerecorded concert that was shown at 300 drive-in theaters around the world you could only watch it at a drive-in,” Bauer says. Some included prerecorded speeches, and one had their high school choir singing ‘together.’ It was very cool.”Ĭoncerts are a hit, too. Some of the high schools recorded videos of each student getting their diploma and then showed them on our big screen. We’ll offer typical movie treats like popcorn and boxed candy … and they can all stay for a family-friendly movie, too.”īauer says the drive-in has hosted several high school graduation ceremonies. “We’ll welcome everyone ‘live’ - broadcasting on the screen and through their car radios - and play our prerecorded speeches on the big screen. “We’ve invited our members to the drive-in, which can handle 250 cars,” he said. That seemed like the perfect solution for the gathering usually held in a local school, according to General Manager Brett Perkins. Tricounty Rural Electric Cooperative even rented Field of Dreams for its annual meeting in September. Meanwhile, audiences are enjoying old-school classics like The Wizard of Oz and Twister together or Goonies and Back to the Future.īeyond movies, drive-ins are hosting a number of special events. The most popular double feature has been Grease and Footloose, and people loved seeing Jaws and Jurassic Park together.”ĭeb Sherman, who owns Aut-O-Rama Twin Drive-In near North Ridgeville with her five children, says new movies like Mulan and Tenet are on the horizon. “That’s an obstacle,” Bauer says, “but we’re showing classic films and old favorites. The biggest challenge during the pandemic, drive-in owners say, is the lag in the release of new movies as Hollywood has been forced to suspend some operations. It’s a family-affordable place where they can experience something out of the ordinary. “It’s a cool experience to watch people come in and have such a good time. She says there’s a certain magic to the drive-in movie. ![]() “Now we have seven outdoor screens in three drive-in theaters.” They can even order from the concession stand from their phones and the food will be delivered right to their car.”īauer started working at the drive-in at age 14, when her parents opened their first theater “literally in our backyard,” she says. They don’t have to get out of the car for anything. In northwest Ohio, Field of Dreams Drive-In, near Liberty Center, is “definitely seeing an increase in new customers,” says Callan Bauer, VP of operations for Saunders Theater Properties. “Usually we can hold close to 500 cars, but we’re operating now at 50% capacity.” We follow social distancing guidelines and are only allowing one vehicle at each speaker post instead of two,” he says. “We got things in place for the safety of our employees and customers. “It gives the public a place to go, to be outside and away from their homes, to enjoy a movie.”Įffinger says the Skyview made some changes before opening the gates. “We’ve had nothing but praise about being open,” says Walt Effinger, who, with his wife, Cathie, owns the Skyview Drive-In just outside of Lancaster. ![]() It offered moviegoers a safe alternative amid the pandemic, when many other forms of entertainment remained closed. With the Ohio governor’s green light, drive-in theaters were able to reopen in May, as long as they followed certain precautions. “With everything going on this year, it’s one way people can go out in public and still maintain a level of social distancing.” “There’s an allure to the drive-in movie - it’s classic, it’s fun, there’s a novelty to it,” says Dave Filipi, director of film/video at the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus. Drive-in owners are getting creative and making their unique venues work for everything from high school graduations to concerts to corporate meetings.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |