Drive-In Movie Festival Coming To Queens

CORONA, QUEENS — Drive-in movies are surging in popularity thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, and a new festival in Queens will bring the craze to the next level.

The nonprofit Rooftop Films is launching a drive-in movie festival on the grounds of the New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, organizers announced Tuesday.

The festival will run from August to October and include screenings of new independent and foreign film, pre-show entertainment, live demonstrations, artist showcases and talks with experts on the movies' themes.

Rooftop Films is curating the movie selections in partnership with the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria.

“With theaters shuttered and most festivals postponed or moving to streaming, we hope that these events will be part of a collaborative healing process for our neighbors, and give us an opportunity to once again spotlight the most daring new films from around the world," Rooftop Films Artistic Director Dan Nuxoll said.

Tickets cost $35 per car and will go on sale in the coming weeks. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Elmcor, a social services organization based in Corona.

The festival will include a number of free screenings throughout the summer, and local community organizations will distribute free tickets to Corona and Elmhurst residents, thanks to a partnership with the Office of the Queens Borough President.

Rooftop Films is also hosting a companion festival in Brooklyn, which launched this past weekend on the pier of the Brooklyn Army Terminal.

Visit queensdrivein.com for more information about the Queens festival.