Houston-based Midway, the privately owned, fully integrated real estate investment and development firm, has teamed up with Moonstruck to present Moonstruck Drive-In Cinema at East River. Beginning Thursday, September 3, Houstonians are invited to enjoy a contactless cinema experience under the stars on the site of Midway’s 150-acre East River development. Christopher Nolan’s new spy film Tenet will debut on opening night, kicking off an exciting lineup of new releases and classics. Movies will show every night at 8:30 p.m., with double showings on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 11:00 p.m. to start off, with occasional special events to be announced.
“The East River site has been inaccessible to the public for generations, and we are thrilled to activate the space ahead of its decades-long development horizon,” said Jonathan Brinsden, Midway’s Chief Executive Officer. “We look forward to providing this new contactless drive-in for the community to gather and experience during these unique times.”
Feature films will be projected on a 40-foot by 80-foot structure made of shipping containers, offering a uniquely rustic atmosphere to complement the nostalgic drive-in theatre vibe. Audio will be broadcast through an FM transmitter to car stereos.
Located at 100 Bringhurst Street, just off Clinton Drive across from The New Potato, Moonstruck Drive-In Cinema at East River entrances open at 7 p.m., and films will begin at approximately 8:30 p.m., though these times will shift seasonally. Each showing can accommodate approximately 200 cars, and guests are required to stay within the width of their parking space if enjoying the film outside of their vehicles. Parking spots are first-come, first-serve, so guests are encouraged to arrive early to reserve their viewing location.
Tickets will be available for special no-contact purchase later this week at www.moonstruckdrivein.com. Starting at $25, admission fee includes a car permit and tickets for all passengers.
Food and beverages will be available for contactless purchase from popular local food trucks and Historic Fifth Ward and East End establishments, including The New Potato, The Funnel Bar and much more. Portable restrooms will be available for responsible use, and guests are encouraged to wear masks and practice social distancing protocols.
“We are excited to bring the drive-in movie concept to East Downtown. As the sister company to Showboat Drive-In at Hockley, our fans can expect the same level of quality, content, and experience. We plan for Moonstruck Drive-In Cinema at East River to be a one-of-a-kind, iconic attraction not only during COVID, but for many years to come. What sets us apart from many of the temporary drive-ins that have popped up, is that we will be showing new release films, hosting drive-in concerts, and many other exciting experiences in addition to showing classic films,” says Andrew Thomas, Moonstruck co-founder.
Moonstruck Drive-In Cinema at East River opening weekend lineup is as follows:
Thursday, September 4 // Saturday, September 6 // Sunday, September 7
8:30 PM – Tenet
11:30 PM – Bill and Ted Face the Music
Friday, September 5
8:30 PM – Inside Out
11:00 PM – Tenet
ABOUT EAST RIVER
Currently in its pre-construction phase, East River’s 150 acres of carefully designed, multi-phase, mixed-use development will transform the city’s waterfront east of downtown into a new economic center. Designed to grow and evolve through multiple phases, East River is ideally positioned to serve a wide range of residents and a spectrum of housing price points, innovative and globally competitive companies, cutting-edge retail and restaurant concepts, and a host of institutional, educational and recreational opportunities. The project’s early phases of development set the tone for a world-class collection of districts by focusing on connecting Houston’s urban fabric to central green spaces, active transportation, upgraded infrastructure and an impressive mile of waterfront along Buffalo Bayou.
ABOUT MIDWAY
Houston-based Midway is a privately owned, fully integrated real estate investment and
development firm that has provided the highest level of quality, service and value to clients and investors for almost 50 years. Midway’s portfolio of projects completed and/or underway consists of more than 45 million square feet of properties ranges from mixed-use destinations to office, industrial facilities, and master-planned residential communities. Midway continues to develop projects of distinction, aesthetic relevance and enduring value for investors, clients, and the people who live, work, and thrive in the environment they create.
ABOUT MOONSTRUCK
Houston-based Moonstruck is a collaboration between two local Texas businesses, Blue Moon Cinemas owned by Alicia Tashiro and Showboat Drive-In at Hockley owned by Andrew Thomas. Blue Moon Cinemas is an inflatable movies company that brings the outdoor movie experience to local communities, churches, schools, parks, etc. in the Houston, Austin, Dallas and surrounding areas for over 15 years. They serve all ranges of clients with their variety sizes of screens from backyard birthdays to SXSW concerts and film festivals. Showboat Drive-In is the largest and only permanent drive-in cinema in the greater Houston area. It has been consistently ranked as one of the top 10 busiest drive-ins in the country. Andrew also has extensive experience in developing other drive-in properties around the country. Both Andrew and Alicia are from Houston and have a passion for film, community and providing safe, family-friendly entertainment.
