The village of Romeoville, Illinois, a few weeks ago hosted a movie screening on a pop-up outdoor screen, dubbed the Route 66 Drive-In Theater. It was so popular, it has added four more screenings this summer.
The pop-up drive-in is at 680 Townhall Drive, behind the Romeoville Athletic & Event Center and just west of Highway 53 (aka Route 66).
These are the scheduled screenings:
- June 26 — “Frozen 2”
- July 11 — “Sonic the Hedgehog”
- July 24 – “The Lion King”
- Aug. 10 — “Captain Marvel”
A maximum number of cars are allotted for each film, and all vehicles must be registered here to enter. All cars will be staggered to allow for COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, safety and the best view. Tickets will be chosen by lottery.
According to the Romeoville Patch:
“The first movie was very successful,” explained Romeoville Mayor John Noak. “Our staff has come up with some great ways to celebrate summer in the midst of the pandemic”.
To support local businesses, the Village has also partnered with Car Hop Concessions by Lightning Concessions, Fat Ricky’s, Ruby’s Burritos, Michael’s Pizza, and Ats-A-Nice Pizza to offer attendees the option to pre-order food and pick it up or have it delivered directly to their vehicle’s window.
Here’s one family’s photos from the first drive-in event in Romeoville:
Drive-in theaters, unlike many other business sectors across the U.S., have seen a resurgence in popularity this spring and summer because they’re much safer during the coronavirus era. Drive-ins not only have screened old and independent movies to burgeoning crowds, but they’ve also hosted several music tours.
(Illustration of the Route 66 Drive-In Theater via Village of Romeoville)