Workhouse Arts Center Revives Drive-In Movies During Coronavirus

LORTON, VA — The Workhouse Arts Center is opening a drive-in movie theater on its campus starting Friday, June 12, with movies to be shown Friday and Saturday evenings.

The first weekend will feature Beetlejuice on Friday, June 12 and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on Saturday, June 13. Showtime is 9 p.m., with gates opening at 8:15 p.m. Titles and ticket sales for the other weekends will be released the week of June 8. Links to purchase tickets can be found on the Workhouse Arts Center website.

Workhouse Performing Arts Director Joseph Wallen came up with the idea for a drive-in theater. “Since temporarily closing our ‘actual doors’ to the public in mid-March, the staff has explored ways to open ‘virtual doors,’ so that we may still continue to engage with the community and present unique arts experiences," Wallen said Friday in a statement.

"Our socially distanced drive-in theater will allow families to enjoy some of their favorite films in a new way," he said. "We felt this would be a fun experience to enjoy together, while observing current safety guidelines.”

The drive-in movie theater will be set up in the parking lot on the north side of campus, adjacent to building W7. The parking lot will be limited to 75 vehicles at $30 per vehicle. Larger trucks and vans will be parked in areas behind medium- and small-sized vehicles so that everyone will be able to view the screen.

All tickets must be purchased online. Audio will be delivered via FM transmitter. Guests should bring a portable radio or be prepared to tune their car radio to an FM station. There are also a number of apps for smartphones that guests can download to tune to the FM station.

Options to purchase a packaged snack box will also be available. Moviegoers also may bring their own snacks and meals.

Various levels of sponsorship are available for businesses to include their logo on screen and logo placement on event collateral and marketing. To inquire about becoming a sponsor, contact erinwright@workhousearts.org.

"As we all have had to adapt to a new reality during this pandemic, we have become creative in how we operate as a community and how we as a community-based Arts organization engage with our audience,” said Dale Marhanka, Workhouse operations director and Glass and Ceramics program director.

“Offering a drive-in theater at the Workhouse allows us to safely re-engage with our local community and partner with our neighborhood businesses," Marhanka said. "Creating an opportunity for all of us as a community to also escape from the current stressors in our lives and enjoy a brief respite from the struggles that we all currently share in fighting this pandemic."

Social distancing and restroom guidelines as well as FAQs and links to purchase tickets are posted on the Workhouse website.

Lawn chairs and blankets are permitted in front of vehicles, but masks and social distancing will apply. Restrooms are located at the rear of building 7 and 8. Only one person is permitted in each restroom at any time. Restroom attendant will wipe down touch points after each guest exits.

In July 2002, the federal government sold the old Lorton Correctional Facility property to Fairfax County. The site has been part of the D.C. Workhouse and Reformatory Historic District since 2006. The Workhouse Arts Center, located at 9518 Workhouse Way in Lorton, opened to the public in September 2008.

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