It will be drive-in movie night this Saturday, and again August 16, at LeMay — America’s Car Museum. Oh, and the movies can be viewed at no charge, and with the Tacoma skyline and Puget Sound in the background.
The feature this weekend is Smokey and the Bandit. On August 16, American Graffiti that will be shown on a 40-foot screen set up in the museum’s 3.5-acre show field.
“Drive-in movies on warm summer nights were magic decades ago,” the museum’s guest services manager Jeff Keys said in a news release.”
And now, “It’s nostalgia at its finest,” he continued. “So few places around the U.S. have drive-ins anymore. ACM considers this a part of its mission to retain a slice of Americana that might otherwise be lost.
“We expect a contingent Pontiac Trans Ams to line the field for Smokey and the Bandit, just as we expect plenty of Ford hot rods and ’56 Thunderbirds for American Graffiti,” said Keys. “We’ll even have some of ACM’s ‘star cars’ out on the field, too, to help set the mood.”
Because cars need to be parked enough distance from the screen to make viewing comfortable, an area is provided up front for people who prefer to sit on blankets or lawn chairs.
While the movie shows on the big screen, sound flows through outdoor speakers and an FM transmitter provides for in-car listening.
“Clearly, we’ve struck a chord with our audiences, as our summer movies have proven very popular in the past,” Keys said. “The showings are consistently packed.
On movie nights, the show field opens at 4:30 p.m., with movies starting around 9 p.m. Food will be available onsite for purchase with catering from Tacoma’s Pacific Grill restaurant.
For more information, visit www.lemaymuseum.org.
