Northern Ontario travelling drive-in bringing back nostalgia

Timmins -

Drive-in theatres have been a thing of the past in northeastern Ontario, but Sudbury-based travelling company 'Horizon Drive-In' sees potential for the business to become an annual anticipated attraction in the region again.

Recently stopping in Timmins, owner Benjamin MacKenzie said when he operated his business as a COVID-friendly entertainment option, he feels he addressed an entertainment gap in the region, particularly during the pandemic while traditional movie theatres were closed.

"We’re kind of able to offer that outlet for friends to get together again, families to go out, people to kind of reconnect and enjoy entertainment safely," MacKenzie said.

And as COVID-19 restrictions loosen, he said more people have been looking to enjoy a form of entertainment that’s been missing in the northeast for some time.

Many people may not have been to a drive-in in years, MacKenzie said, and permanent drive-ins that operated have been long-closed.

That’s left a desire to enjoy a sense of nostalgia, he said.

"A lot of people who were kind of too scared to kind of come out of their houses before, last year, we’re seeing a lot of new people coming out," MacKenzie said. "Older demographics coming out, who were kind of playing it safe last year, who just wanted to come and kind of relive those nostalgic days."

And he sees an opportunity to bring back that feeling back every summer, as an event that communities can look forward to even after the pandemic ends.

Looking forward to establishing a new northern staple, he is continuing to travel around the region this summer, with more show dates coming in the fall.