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Date: 3/31/2021
WEST SPRINGFIELD – Starting April 23, the Big E will host drive-in movies in partnership with FestEvents.
FestEvents set up similar drive-ins at Topsfield and Marshfield fairgrounds last year.
The drive-in will be located in the Gate 9 parking area and is authorized to show new release content, once available, and special live stream concerts and other events.
The drive-in will run on the weekends through the spring and then shift to seven days a week in the summer. There will be a break during the fair from Sept. 17 to Oct. 3, then reopen through December with holiday-themed experiences.
It will cost $30 per car for up to six people and $6 for each additional passenger.
There will be two 45 by 60-foot screens that will accommodate 300 cars each, in a safe and socially distant way. There will be two different movies shown simultaneously, and there will be a designated channel for people to turn to so the sound of the film will play from the car’s radio.
President of FestEvents EJ Dean said that there will be a 10 to 15-minute start time difference, so everyone is not leaving or coming in all at the same time.
Movies will start when the sun sets, but gates will open two hours before the first movie starts.
The movies will be announced weekly, and ticket sales will be available at the time of the announcement online at www.wsdrivein.com.
A full concession stand for guests to enjoy popcorn and popular fair foods such as fried dough, fried Oreos, and cotton candy will be available.
Dean said that the nice thing about drive-ins is that they are an enjoyable family activity.
“It will be great to be able to welcome people back to the grounds of Eastern States Exposition again, that is for sure,” said Gene Cassidy, Eastern States Exposition president, and CEO.
Cassidy told Reminder Publishing that they found a mechanism to do what they do best, to draw family and friends together.
The Eastern States Exposition had difficulty navigating itself through the pandemic because they could not earn any revenue. Cassidy hopes that the drive-in will make up for that and generate much-needed revenue so that they can keep the fairgrounds open until the fair.
Dean shared that they have been planning this drive-in since August 2020, but by the time they got far enough along with things, it was too late to get started. He said that they took time off to reset everything, reconnected with the Big E, and finalized the details to go forward. Dead added that it was a matter of going through the town process to ensure that everyone was on board before going forward.
While this is the first time there will be a drive-in on the property, Cassidy shared that there have been two drive-ins in the town. In 1949 across the street from the fairgrounds, Memorial Drive-in once was, they closed in 1976. In 1950, Riverdale drive-in was located where Raymour and Flanigan is today; they closed in 1967.
“We are kind of rekindling something from the historic past of the town of West Springfield,” said Cassidy.