Former Neguac drive-in theatre may get 2nd chance amid COVID-19 restrictions

After more thana dozen years of being dark, the big screen at the former drive-in in Neguacmight be lit again this summer.

Now known as Neguac Festival Park, the large field is hometo the NeguacDown River Festival. But after the annual three-day music festival was cancelled because of COVID-19, itscommittee began wondering if something else could be done.

"My mother-in-law, Antoinette Breau, said to me, 'Wouldn't it be fun if we could reopen the drive-in, people wouldn't have to come into contact and we could still use the field this summer and it would be a good way to give back to the community,'" said Jamie Alexander, a committee member.

Describing that as a light bulb moment, Alexander said they began exploring how they could make it happen.

New equipment needed

While the big screen is in great shape, the projection and audio equipmentlocated in the former canteen building had been vandalized when the drive-in was closed. So was all the electrical, but that was repaired after the property was purchased.

"So, we just need to get the financing in place to do the new equipment," Alexander said.

With a $20,000 price tag to purchase the projector and the FM system so the audio transmits to a vehicle'sradio, Alexander said they are seeking investors to help them out or possibly hold acrowd-funding campaign.

"It's not necessarily something we're looking at to open as a business or to make money from. It's more something we can do for the community from the committee," he said.

"You know, try to keep it very inexpensive so people could afford to go every week."

Waiting on approval

But before anything can move ahead, Alexander said they need approval of their plan from the province.

"We have been in contact with them and it's looking very, very good," Alexander said.

As of Friday, they had received approval to hold drive-in graduations. They are still waiting approval on other requests.

Reopening the drive-in is not the only thing they want to do at the site. With the use of a live feed on the projection equipment, there's a possibility of hosting musicians, church services and even graduations.

"We've had a couple ofschools reach out to us and say they want to be first on the list to be able to book our graduation there because we can probably hold a good two to three hundred cars in the field and still maintain social distancing and keeping cars six feet apart," Alexander said.

There's also a couple interested in having a drive-in wedding at the site as well.

"If it was in the evening the stage could be fully lit, thecamera could be on the people and broadcasting on the screen above."

Blockbuster movies

Alexander said they're alsoin touch with film distributors looking for places to premiere their summer releases.

"So there'ssome possibility of actually showingsome mainstream blockbuster movies to come to our screen."

Alexander said a Facebook survey conducted throughthe Down River Festival page suggested there's strong interest in the idea.

"We do believe we have the support there," he said, adding Neguac is centrally located to attract people from many regions,including Miramichi, the Acadian Peninsula and Bathurst.

Keep it affordable

Alexander said they plan to make going to see a drive-in movie affordable by offering a flat rate per car, per family.

"We're thinking a very fair price per car."

And looking to the future and what may be the new normal after the pandemic is over, Alexander wonders if drive-ins might be part of that new normal.

"It's something we may be able to continue for many years to come."

The popularity of drive-ins is growing because of the pandemic. The Delta Hotel in Fredericton announced on social mediathey were opening a drive-intheatre at their location in June.

The Sussex Drive-In opened Friday while theCin-Parc Satellite in Bois-Blanc near Paquetville and theNeptune Drive-in Theater in Shediac are waiting to announce their opening dates.