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Arts & EntertainmentCoronavirus

Photo essay: The drive-in sees a resurgence throughout the world

By
Alex Scimecca
Alex Scimecca
and
Radhika Marya
Radhika Marya
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Alex Scimecca
Alex Scimecca
and
Radhika Marya
Radhika Marya
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 1, 2020, 10:00 AM ET
Drive-In-01-GettyImages-1227674893
Attendees cheer from their their vehicles during a concert at the CityView Drive-In outdoor venue in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on Friday, July 17, 2020. Canada's financial capital will remain under partial lockdown as Ontario moves to reopen more business and public spaces starting on Friday. Photographer: Cole Burston/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesCole Burston—Bloomberg/Getty Images

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As movie theaters, concert venues, museums, and the majority of large event spaces remain mostly closed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, people are turning to a retro solution to continue experiencing arts and entertainment.

Drive-in movie theaters have made a comeback, but that’s not all. People are attending drive-in concerts, watching sporting events via drive-in gatherings, and even going to drive-by art shows. Big retailers like Walmart are buying into the trend; the chain is teaming up with Tribeca Enterprises to turn 160 of its parking lots into drive-in theaters from August to October. And while the drive-in is evocative of the U.S. in the 1950s and 1960s, people are taking part in drive-in activities throughout the globe—sometimes using boats and bicycles for similar purposes—as seen in the photos below.

Take a look at how people are getting creative about absorbing their arts and culture in a socially distant group setting.

Drive-In-02-GettyImages-1256928031
The opening night of Paris Plages “Le Cinema Sur L’Eau”, a free floating cinema at La Villette on July 18 in Paris, France. Thirty-eight Electric boats were installed on the Quai de Seine in compliance with social distancing rules, with 150 deck chairs on the banks of the canal, to screen the short film “Corona Story” by Victor Mirabel.
Kiran Ridley—Getty Images
Drive-In-03-GettyImages-1224884740.
A woman gives concession snacks to a man sitting in a car as racing fans watch the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix race, the first race of the season, at a drive-in cinema at the Zandvoort circuit in the Netherlands on July 5.
ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN—ANP/AFP/Getty Images
Drive-In-04-2020-07-14T051024Z_368383162_NOCID_RTRMADP_3_MLS-LA-GALAXY-DRIVE-IN-VIEWING-PARTY
L.A. Galaxy fans watch the MLS is Back Tournament game against the Portland Timbers at a drive-in viewing party at the Rose Bowl in California on July 13.
Kirby Lee—USA Toay Sports/Reuters
Drive-In-05-GettyImages-1221654449
A performer from the Las Vegas Circus performs in front of the car crowd at Porto Alegre in Southern Brazil on June 21. The Brazilian show was closed since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
SILVIO AVILA—AFP/Getty Images
Drive-In-06-GettyImages-1224872627
An aerial view shows a packed Tribeca Drive-In, a monthlong temporary drive-in theater in Pasadena, Calif.
David McNew—Getty Images
Drive-In-07-GettyImages-1226343307.
Two women sit in front of their car as they watch the American musical movie “La La Land” at the new DiverAuto drive-in cinema in Bormujos, Spain on July 11.
CRISTINA QUICLER—AFP/Getty Images
Drive-In-08-GettyImages-1255840088
A bike-in concert in Mantova, Italy on July 12. Concertgoers ride their bicycles to a live show, allowing fans to experience a traditional open-air concert from the comfort of their saddles.
Francesco Prandoni—Getty Images
Drive-In-09-GettyImages-1256693203
Dancers wearing traditional South Korean clothes perform on stage at a drive-in concert in Seoul on July 17.
Chung Sung-Jun—Getty Images
Drive-In-10-GettyImages-1225391647
People watch a movie at a drive-in cinema in Sabaneta municipality near Medellin, Colombia on July 7.
JOAQUIN SARMIENTO—AFP/Getty Images
About the Authors
By Alex Scimecca
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By Radhika Marya
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