Where is Cambridge’s new drive-in cinema?
A spectacular new drive-in cinema is set to open this summer in a Cambridgeshire village where moviegoers can watch films on the big screen from the safety of their cars.
The location has been announced today (Wednesday, June 24) by outdoor movie experts Enchanted Cinema as Cambridge County Polo Club in Lode, who promise the events will have a "carnival theme".
This follows news on Monday (June 22) of a series of drive in concerts taking place at Newmarket Racecourse, which will include performances from Dizzee Rascal, Bjorn Again, Embrace, Tony Hadley, Gary Numan, Sigala, Sheku & Isata Kanneh-Mason, The Streets and Russell Watson.
Enchanted Cinema, which is running the drive in movie shows, has already been running the popular outdoor cinema nightds at the Gonville Hotel for several years. Their director, William Morrish, said; “It's going to be really cool to bring this to Cambridge. We want to make sure the production and experience of this is exactly in line with what we have always done we don't want it to be just a screen and a field - we want people to come and relax and take their mind off things and just feel that nostalgic buzz of a communal event
"We will add in extras such as quizzes before the screenings and live music and we will have some crowd pleasing favourites for the food vendors with food that can be delivered straight to your car.
"I think the atmosphere will be quite electric - it will have a real carnival theme with lots of music, lots of colour, ribbons, flags. It will be a beautiful environment - like a festival but without the fallout of a festival! We are going to try to capture that sense of excitement. We will have a local musician playing before the screening which everyone will be able to hear from their cars.”
The venue will be Cambridge County Polo Club in Lode and the first confirmed dates ar July 31 and August 1 and 2. There are plans or two screenings perday on LED screen which can be seen in daylight and some of the films planned for screenings include: Moana, The Goonies, Romeo and Juliet, Dirty Dancing, The Greatest Showman and Rocketman.
The sound will come through an auxiliary transmitter in viewers' cars. William explained: “We will hand you a small box that goes into your car like your phone or iPod and that will transmit the sound to your car.”
Enchanted Cinema will also be running socially distanced outdoor cinema at the Gonville Hotel in Cambridge, which may begin as early as July 2. Tickets should be on sale by the end of this week. The tickets for the drive in will go on sale late next week. More dates are likely to be announced for the drive in performances and they are hoping to contine with the shows throughout the year.
“We could be watching the Blair Witch project at Halloween or even have a Christmas drive in,” says William.
They will also be running drive-in movie shows at Sandringham estate on August 21, 22 and 23.
Meanwhile promoters Utilita Live from the Drive-In will be running a series of live drive-in concerts across 12 venues in the UK this summer, including Newmarket racecourse.
They announced: “Some of the biggest names in UK music will perform live on stage backed by a full concert production that you can enjoy all from your very own viewing zone. With movies and family events also to be added to the schedule, this will be a live experience like no other.”
They are promising “an incredible experience” for concert goers and add “Experience some of your favourite acts in a unique, once in a lifetime setting, similar to an outdoor concert. The only difference is there will be far fewer people - around 300 cars per show.”
Each vehicle will be given a dedicated area in which passengers can stand or bring folding chairs to sit alongside their car although umbrellas will not be allowed.
The sound will be broadcast directly from the stage, as in any live concert, rather than from a speaker in your car. There will also be high definition LED screens
Tickets are now on sale for the concerts here: livenation.co.uk/utilitalivefromthedrivein
And tickets for the drive-in movies at Cambridge County Cricket Club and the outdoor cinema at the Gonville Hotel will be on sale at enchantedcinema.co.uk. Sign up to their mailing list for early booking.
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