Going To Drive-in?
Chamber has acquired airscreen Plans for use in preliminary stages
The drive-in theater could be coming back to Porterville.
It won’t be the same as what the experience at a drive-in theater used to be, but the Porterville Chamber of Commerce plans to at least provide that experience of sorts. The chamber has acquired a 30-foot Airscreen it hopes to use to eventually host POPUP drive-in movies. “We have ordered the screen and it’s on its way,” said Chamber CEO Jessica Brackeen.
Plans for the use of the airscreen are still in the preliminary stages. The chamber must also receive approval for the use of the airscreen from the Porterville City Council. Brackeen said she hopes to bring a proposal for the use of the airscreen to the city council in March. So POP-UP drive-in movies could be offered as soon as this spring.
“We’re just trying to figure out the logistics right now,” said Brackeen about how the airscreen will be used.
She said the most important factor in determining how the airscreen is used is making sure it’s used as safely as possible without putting anyone in danger as the COVID-19 pandemic is still obviously an issue. “That’s the top priority,”
Brackeen said. “That’s the biggest challenge.”
She added safety protocols will include not offering food at POP-UP drive-in movie events. “It’s going to be pretty basic,” said Brackeen about how the events will work.
As Brackeen described it the events will be a way for people to “stay in their cars and have some sort of entertainment.” Brackeen added the goal of providing
POP-UP drive-in movies is to provide those in the community with a same form of entertainment without having to go out of town.
Still in the works is a place to locate the airscreen. Brackeen said she has a couple of places in mind but added “if somebody has a piece of land” they would like to offer “that would be nice.”
And the airscreen can be used for more than just movies. “You can use it in all kinds of different ways,” Brackeen said.
Along with providing something for the community, Brackeen said the airscreen can be used by businesses and was also obtained as a reward for Chamber members who are Circle of Excellence sponsors for the chamber.
She said businesses can use the airscreen for such purposes as a drivethru employee appreciation day or seminars for such areas as employee training. School districts could also possibly put the airscreen to use for such purposes as their graduations, Brackeen said.
Brackeen said she could possibly see the airscreen even being used at such venues as the Porterville Sports Complex.
The airscreen could possibly be rented by families, organizations and businesses as well to be used at their homes and properties if they’re big enough, Brackeen said. But those who rent the airscreen would have to follow city guidelines and COVID-19 protocols.
Brackeen said she hopes to offer POP-UP drive-in movies once a month. She even hopes to offer “double features” of sorts. The plan would be for a family-friendly movie for the entire family to be shown in the early evening and then a film such as a date-night type movie to be shown later that night.
A couple of volunteers have already come forward with the effort to provide Pop-up drive-in movies in the community and Brackeen said more volunteers are needed. She said it takes four or five people to set up the airscreen. “I’ll need a lot of volunteers every time,” she said.
Those who want to provide input as far as the uses for the airscreen are concerned and those who would like to volunteer can email the chamber at info@portervillechamber.org