Fresh popcorn and hot dogs, fireworks or drone shows lighting up the sky, and baseball -- beautiful baseball -- on display. But no, this won't necessarily be at a big league ballpark. Instead, hop in your car and head out for the nearest drive-in. That's because in addition to a full slate of MLB games on Saturday, July 4, even more baseball-themed fun has been announced for America's 250th birthday.
MLB is collaborating with four drive-in movie theaters in the U.S. to provide Americans with a new way to cap off Independence Day celebrations, with the MLB Summer Drive-In presented by Ford. Select locations will bring together baseball and cinema on the Fourth of July to celebrate the nation’s birthday.
Drive-ins located in Vineland, N.J., McHenry, Ill., Blue Ridge, Ga., and Paramount, Calif., will air the classic childhood baseball movie "The Sandlot." Following the film, they will then air the hometown team’s game (the Phillies, Cubs, Braves and Dodgers, respectively) on the big screen. Each drive-in location will feature activities for the whole family such as Ballpark Bites concessions, lawn games, a PLAY BALL presence, giveaways and a fireworks or drone show.
"I grew up with this theatre," Scott Dehn, owner of the McHenry Outdoor Theater said. He's been at the theatre for 26 of its 79 years, but he doesn't think of the theatre as his. "I have memories that I'll never forget, and I just think it would be unfair for future generations to miss out on those just because we didn't take care of [the theater], so I'm just a caretaker of this place, and it's my job to make it available to as many families as possible."
A Cubs fan who is willing to root for the White Sox, too, Dehn may not have shown a baseball game at the theater in the past, but he sees it as a natural extension of what the theater already does.
"Baseball has the same pull as the drive-in here," Dehn said. "One, it's rooted deeply in American culture, and also it's a place you go where you laugh, you cry, you cheer as a communal group. I describe it as just a big block party where there just happens to be a couple movies planned."
This will also be the first time that a game will be shown at the Swan Drive-in in Blue Ridge, Ga., a theater that has been in the community since 1955.
"This will be our very first sporting event ever!" Michael Eaton, owner of the Swan Drive-In, said. "This is also the first time there's been a professional fireworks show within the city limits of downtown Blue Ridge. A lot of history is being made on this day!"
To round out their Fourth of July festivities, the Boston Red Sox High-A affiliate based in South Carolina, the Greenville Drive, will also host a full day of celebrations at Fluor Field, with a carnival atmosphere ending a picnic-like viewing of this drive-in experience, fireworks and all.
"I think people going [to these events], it might ignite something in them where they're like, 'I feel like I just stepped back in time, like this is the 1950s. This is so cool,'" Dehn said.
Of course, the event will be a little flashier than what could have been done in the '50s.
"From the moment we were first contacted by MLB, we could't have been more excited to be part of this great event. They're going all-out to make it a great event for the community," Eaton said. "'The Sandlot,' Braves game, a huge firework show, family activities -- all free for the community to celebrate America's 250th anniversary? We were hooked. MLB is even trucking in an enormous stage and a huge 40-foot LED screen so that the movie and game can be seen before the sunset. It will be quite the event for Blue Ridge and we couldn't be more excited to be part of it."
More information about each drive-in is below, with ticketing and full event information:
- Delsea Drive-In; 2203 S Delsea Dr, Vineland, NJ 08360 (700-car capacity) More >
- McHenry Outdoor Theater; 1510 N Chapel Hill Rd, McHenry, IL 60051 (800-car capacity) More >
- Swan Drive-In; 651 Summit St, Blue Ridge, GA 30513 (400-car capacity, plus seated availability) More >
- Paramount Drive-In; 7770 Rosecrans Ave, Paramount, CA 90723 (400-car capacity) More >