Family-friendly flicks focus of new Triangle Drive-In at Triangle Town Center
Another outdoor movie theater has popped up in the Triangle, and this one has taken over part of a mall parking lot.
Triangle Drive-In has two family-friendly movies planned this weekend at Triangle Town Center off Capital Boulevard in north Raleigh. Screenings at the drive-in began Valentine's Day weekend, and a grand opening is planned for later this month.
On the schedule for March, so far, is "Sing" on March 5 and the 2019 live action version of "Aladdin" on March 6. Screenings are planned for each weekend through August.
Peter Krumenacker, owner of Island Sound & Video, is behind Triangle Drive-In. He's provided the expertise and equipment for massive events, including other drive-in movies in the region and community events, such as the Holiday Express at Pullen Park and recent Nights of Lights. With Triangle Drive-In, he's not just providing the audio and visual needs, he's also organizing and marketing it too.
"It is fun," he said. "We normally do all the production. So production is second nature to us. But getting the word out, marketing wise, that's relatively new."
At Triangle Drive-In, the screen is attached to the side of a three-story mall building, once home to Mitchell's Spa, which is now closed. The top of the screen is about 32 feet in the air, he said. The lot fits about 120 cars.
For now, screenings start at 8 p.m., and the schedule will focus on family-friendly flicks that are rated G, PG or PG-13.
Krumenacker is working to get new releases on the schedule too.
"There's just a lot more hoops you have to jump through for the new releases," he said. "But that's the goal. Maybe in the next month or two."
If you plan to go, tickets must be purchased online first. The movie's audio is played through the FM radio on your car. And masks are required when outside of your car. Bathrooms are available inside the mall. And food can be picked up in the mall's food court or at a regular rotation of visiting food trucks.
"We'll be running movies through the end of August," Krumenacker said.
Check the Triangle Drive-In website for more information and to get your tickets.
The drive-in movie business has been strong as families look for COVID-safe activities. The Drive-In Theater at Carraway Village in Chapel Hill opened last year. Raleigh Road Outdoor Theater in Henderson also has been showing drive-in movies for years. And other drive-in movies have been offered on an occasional basis. Park West Village in Morrisville will be offering outdoor movies (thanks to equipment provided by Krumenacker business) every Friday in March. The schedule includes "Jurassic Park," on March 5, "Grease" on March 12, and "Despicable Me" on March 19.
