It’s a hot August night, and hundreds of people are sitting in lawn chairs, or in their cars and trucks in a big empty field in Simi Valley.
The year might be 2020, but this looks like a scene from 30 year ago. We’re at a drive-in movie. In fact, the movie being shown, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, is from the 1980’s. Indoor movie theaters may be closed on the Central and South Coasts because of coronavirus concerns, but drive-in movie theaters have been making a comeback.
Tina Tebow of Camarillo brought her father, Larry as well as her daughters Harper and Delaney to the Simi Valley Drive-In, which is a popup drive in. The pop-up drive in is the brainchild of a Simi Valley businessman. Scott Juceam is the owner of a tax assistance business, the Tax Defense Group, but saw the need for the theater. He says the City of Simi Valley helped make it happen.
Some 20 businesses co-sponsored the screening. At this event, East Coast Pizza even gave out some free pizza. And, 20% of the proceeds has been earmarked for Ventura County non-profits. But, Juceam says it’s really about giving families something safe they can do together during the crisis.
There are other drive-ins in the region. A huge pop-up drive in has been set up at the Ventura County Fairgrounds, which is hosting movies and live concerts. Santa Barbara’s long dormant drive-in has been reopened as the West Wind Drive in, and has been showing movies regularly. And, San Luis Obispo’s historic Sunset Drive In is doing what it did for decades, showing movies.Perhaps the hardest thing is that most of the movies being shown are old classics like “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” But, theatergoers say it’s really not about the movie, it’s about the drive-in experience.
The Simi Valley Drive-In’s next events are being planned for Labor Day weekend, September 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th. They are planning events for both Simi Valley and Camarillo. You can find information at http://savingsimi.com
