Patchogue theater joins pop-up drive-in trend
Bugs Bunny and Michael Jordan, pictured in a scene from the 1996 movie "Space Jam." Credit: Rights Managed / Mary Evans / Warner Bros. / Ronald Grant Archive / Everett Collection
The Plaza Cinema and Media Art Center in Patchogue has joined the pop-up drive-in craze.
The shuttered theater will hold four drive-in screenings on Friday, June 5, and Saturday, June 6. Each night will feature the Bugs Bunny-Michael Jordan comedy “Space Jam” (1996) at 8:30 p.m., followed by the 1985s cult favorite “The Goonies” at 10:45 p.m. Tickets are $35 per vehicle, with separate admission required for each film. Portable restrooms will be on site, which will be the parking lot behind the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts.
The screenings are being presented in conjunction with the Patchogue Young Professionals, a mentorship and advocacy program that is part of the Greater Patchogue Chamber of Commerce.
Pop-up drive-ins are becoming positively trendy during the COVID-19 pandemic. With indoor theaters shuttered and social distancing still a concern, temporary drive-ins are providing what appears to be a relatively safe way to leave the house and be part of a moviegoing crowd. Pop-ups have set up camp in Southampton Village, North Hempstead, Atlantic Beach and other municipalities; local film festivals are also considering the drive-in option during summer and fall.
For more information go to patchogueyoungprofessionals.com.
