It’s nearly summertime. And while the city may not be gearing up for long days on the Coney Island boardwalk, alfresco dining, movies in the park or music festivals—this season will still be full of entertainment. (Albeit in a very different form.) Thanks to the revival of the drive-in trend, once seen as a relic of the 1950’s, New Yorkers can still gather together while social distancing in their cars.
Uptown Drive-In, a new festival-like event coming to the parking lot of Yankee Stadium this season, is a summer party we can all get behind.
The carnival-like experience, set to happen every weekend starting in July, will be a combination of a drive-in movie, live-music concert featuring local NYC artists, and will even feature carside dinner service from beloved New York street vendors.
Attendees for the Uptown Drive-In will also find on-site live interactive games, raffles and giveaways.
To view the entertainment from your car, the stage will be lifted, and the MC, performers and hosts will stream from a PA system to visitor's car radios, confirms MASC Hospitality Group's Marco Shalma, in an exclusive interview with Time Out New York. MASC Hospitality, the same New York-based company responsible for the Bronx Night Market and the Bronx Beer Festival, is working with Bronx community businesses to curate the experience.
“Since we were planning on having the Bronx Night Market, the Bronx Beer Festival and Uptown Epicure Festival running this summer, which was supposed to start in May, we already had a lot of great options available. Everyone is so excited about the possibility of connecting sooner [at this new experience] than initially planned.”
Each weekend, Uptown Drive-In is aiming to have date-night experiences on Friday, Saturday and Sundays, and a family-friendly brunch series during the day on Saturdays and Sundays.
Prices are still being determined. “We're working with city and state officials, and some of our sponsors to reduce cost as much as we can to be able to make this very affordable, and for as many New Yorkers as possible. The tickets will be only online. Also, with the help of our partners, we will be able to raffle a bunch of tickets.”
New Yorkers can get onboard to join the waiting list here.