Local grocery store screens drive-in movie (10 photos)

For younger people accustomed to viewing Netflix, it was a new experience.

For those middle aged, or in their senior years, it was a trip down memory lane.

The Metro Churchill Plaza parking lot was the scene for a drive-in movie Saturday night.

Metro, co-sponsoring with Interac, screened the family-friendly film Matilda for people eager to take in a movie, socially distancing while seated comfortably in their vehicles.

An estimated 150 vehicles pulled into the Metro Churchill Plaza parking lot to see the film.

“Something else, eh? It came back. I remember the old ones at the Soo Drive-In and the Skylark,” said one Saultite overheard near Metro’s entrance, reminiscing of local drive-in theaters in past years.

A small business marketplace was situated at the west end of the Metro parking lot, including goods from Sault and area vendors Rose Valley Maple Syrup of Echo Bay, Node Exotics (a plant vendor), Cornucopia Gourmet Popcorn and Pearce Farm.   

“It’s a break from COVID,” said Eric Tibben, Metro Churchill Plaza assistant manager, speaking to SooToday.

“They (Interac) did a big drive-in event in Toronto and it went really well last summer. This summer Metro and Interac partnered to show movies at 20 different Metros. It’s Metro’s way of thanking the community for all the business we’ve gotten over the last year and just to bring people together now that things are starting to open up a little bit,” Tibben said.

There were two screenings of Matilda, the first at 8:30 p.m., the second scheduled for 10 p.m.

While tickets to the event were free, guests were encouraged to donate to the Sault Community Theatre Centre in order to offset the impact of COVID-19 on performing arts locally.