The Alexandria Drive-In was such a hit during our summer of quarantine that it’s returning for a special encore movie series this fall.
“We really had no idea what we were getting into when we started in the summer,” co-founder Allen Brooks told WTOP. “We sold out the run of six weeks in four days. We knew we were onto something — people were just pumped to be doing something, enjoying going to the movies again and doing it in a way that felt a little nostalgic.”
The movie series is presented by ALX Community and The Garden at 5001 Eisenhower Ave.
“The parking lot is actually massive; the property is about a half-mile long,” Brooks said. “You drive in to the east end of the parking lot. … You’ll get checked in, you’ll get a welcome bag that’ll give you all of the information about how to order food, then you’ll be directed to drive past the office building to the west side parking lot.”
The film lineup caters to fans of all ages:
- Oct. 31: “Casper” (5:30 p.m.), “The Mummy” (9 p.m.)
- Nov. 7: “Nanny McPhee” (5:30 p.m.), “The Race” (9 p.m.)
- Nov. 8: “Hobbs & Shaw” (7:45 p.m.)
- Nov. 14: “The Secret Life of Pets” (5:30 p.m.), “Pitch Perfect” (9 p.m.)
- Nov. 20: “Seabiscuit” (7:45 p.m.)
- Nov. 21: “How to Train Your Dragon” (5:30 p.m.), “42” (9 p.m.)
- Dec. 4: “The Bourne Identity” (7:45 p.m.)
- Dec. 5: “The Grinch” (7:30 p.m.), “Love Actually” (9 p.m.)
Tickets cost $35 per car. Each screening must be purchased separately.
Proceeds benefit local charities: The National Breast Center Foundation, Volunteer Alexandria, Scholarship Fund of Alexandria, Jireh’s Place and Athena Rapid Response Innovation Lab.
“The whole thing is fully for charity,” Brooks said. “Any profits go directly to our nonprofit partners or the staff we’ve hired, so it’s either making jobs or giving to charity.”
You can also order bites from food trucks via the mobile app Goodfynd.
“The food comes to your car,” Brooks said. “You dial in on your app with our partners at Goodfynd and one of our staff will bring food to your car in about 15 minutes.”
In the end, it’s a fun night out on the town during a tough time.
“Right now people are so excited and enthusiastic to have something that feels like you’re doing it with other people,” Brooks said. “It’s really hard to imagine a better way to spend a Friday or Saturday night when it’s cold outside. … You can’t spend a better dollar in the month of November than coming to the Alexandria Drive-In.”
Listen to our full conversation here.
