The parking lot of Genesis Place Recreation Centre will play host to two movie screenings under the stars on June 4.
Genesis Land Developments Corp. (GLDC) is holding a drive-in movie event, with showings of Raya and the Last Dragon at 7 p.m. and Jumanji at 10 p.m. The screen will be erected in the north parking lot of the rec centre.
According to Arnie Stefaniuk, the vice-president of land development for GLDC, the 7 p.m. showing is already sold out, but there are still tickets available for the Jumanji screening, as of May 25. He said the capacity for each screening is 60 cars.
“We’re hoping it’s a highly successful event,” he said. “We know the one for young families is already sold out, so there’s been great interest.”
Access to the event is $20 per vehicle, and the event’s proceeds will support the Airdrie Food Bank. Stefaniuk said a food donation drop-box will also be located on site.
He added GLDC likes to put on annual events to engage with the communities the developer builds in. last year, he said the company donated kites to Airdrie schools, and students flew them on the last day of classes.
“We don’t just look at it as building streets and houses,” he said. “We’re very concerned with engaging with the people who live there and trying to do special events once in a while to help with the bonding of the neighbourhood.”
Drive-in movies have seen a comeback since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with families looking for safe entertainment options that comply with public health restrictions. Last July, the Boys and Girls Club of Airdrie held a drive-in movie event in the Ron Ebbesen Arena parking lot, while the town of Irricana hosted drive-in showings of Grease and American Graffiti on Main Street last September.
On May 17, the Alberta government reversed an earlier decision that drive-in movies were not allowed amid current restrictions, after a drive-in showing of Dirty Dancing at Calgary's Grey Eagle Casino was cancelled just hours before show time.
“Drive-ins in their current set up are COVID-safe and they’re also fun,” Stefaniuk said. “Movie theatres have been [mostly] closed since COVID started 14, 15 months ago and people are missing that type of entertainment. When we had the chance to get this drive-in company to come out on June 4, we jumped at it.”
Considering the continued impact of the pandemic and ongoing gathering restrictions, Stefaniuk said he felt a drive-in movie screening would be the perfect choice for GDLC’s community-building event in 2021.
“It’s been a tough go, with COVID,” he said. “We’ve come through another winter and we were hoping spring would be a bit better, but we’re still locked down. Here’s an event you can look forward to coming out with your family.
“It’s fun, safe and maybe someone in your family…has never experienced a drive-in before. What an opportunity to actually take them to a drive-in and show them how much fun they can be. It gets you out of your house, off the couch and watching Netflix for an evening. It’s fun and all for a good cause.”
While bathrooms will be available on-site, Stefaniuk said he encourages moviegoers to stay in their vehicles throughout the film. He added viewers will also have to bring their own concessions.
For tickets or more information, visit bit.ly/3vsNH2W
Scott Strasser, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @scottstrasser19
