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Drive-in fans can relive the experience

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Annandale National Historic Site and C.A.R.S. Inc. would like to know ‘when was the last time you were at the drive-in?’

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Was it a vintage car?

You can re-live that experience, or make new ones, Saturday, August 25th at Tillsonburg’s first Vintage Car Show and Drive-In at 7 Rouse Street West, where an outdoor drive-in style movie screen will be set up to view the 1978 classic, Grease, starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John at dusk.

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‘Grease is the word’ but the event gets started earlier that night with a vintage car show.

“The Car Show will be from 5-8 p.m.,” said Cassidy Adcock, ANHS summer staff, who has been coordinating the event.

Car Show registration will be held from 5-7 p.m. at $10 per vehicle to enter the Car Show. Judging will take place from 7-7:30 p.m., and awards will be given out from 7:30-8 p.m.

“We are going to have food vendors there as well,” said Adcock. “They will be there throughout the whole show – from 5 p.m. until about 8:30 p.m. and the movie, Grease, will begin at dusk.

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“We’re also going to have a silent auction (with a selection of items for everyone), which will take place between 5-8 p.m., and all items that are won can be picked up from 8 till 8:30.”

Spots will be available for up to 200 vehicles at C.A.R.S., sponsor of the event – including both Car Show participants and spectators who are welcome by donation. Note that vehicle spots will be reserved for Car Show participants, and the spectator parking opens at 8 p.m.

“If they don’t have a spot for a car, and they just want to bring some lawn chairs, we can accommodate that too,” said Adcock. “We have speakers that will be set up outside, so they can hear the movie not just in their cars on their radios, but actually outside on the speakers as well.”

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Pre-registration began last week, she said, with 20 vehicles signing up in the first few days.

“I think we’re doing pretty good in getting people starting to sign up here.”

The first 50 car show participants that arrive on the 25th will receive a free T-shirt for the event.

There will also be door prizes for car show participants.

“One of my favourite past-times in the summer was to go out to the Mustang Drive-In in the Belmont-London area. It’s just something that’s fun… and there’s not a lot of drive-ins around any more. There used to be drive-ins almost on every corner.

“It’s something fun – now kids love to go to the drive-in, just like they used to in the old days. It’s fun for both the parents and the children, to do something family-oriented together.”

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The movie will be viewed on a big, rented outdoor drive-in style screen, large enough for all participants to see it.

“You’ll be able to see it from the highway as you’re driving by,” Adcock laughed.

“When you pull into the drive-in and the movie’s about to start, they will give you a station that you can turn your car radios to, so you can listen to it in your car. But if you prefer to sit on lawn chairs, we also have outdoor speakers so everyone will be hear it outside.”

Grease, a popular romantic musical comedy, will bring back memories of the 50s-60s era and it’s a movie that Adcock has watched ‘many, many times.’

“We picked it because it is the 40th anniversary of Grease, as well because – with our partner sponsor – we wanted to bring out all those old classic cars and we wanted to pick a movie that was great for everybody. Grease is something that has fun for the kids to watch, as well as adults, and there’s lots of the old cars in that movie as well, which will be great for all the people bringing out their vintage cars.

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“It will be a nice blast from the past.”

Wearing Grease-themed apparel or 50-60s outfits is not necessary, she said, but if people would like to get dressed up for the drive-in and car show it could add to the event’s theme.

“We’re hoping to have a retro theme, 50s-ish, so we’re going to have themed music, you can get your classic popcorn there for the movie, and we’re going to have all those nice classic cars, so people can definitely come dressed up retro-styled if they like.

“We’re trying to get the word out as much as possible,” said Adcock. “And we’d like to get feedback from everybody who attends. This is something they would like to have annually. Obviously we would switch up movies each year.”

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