Drive in movies are something that many people in our modern times have never had the pleasure of experiencing. The Pop Up : Drive In : Stay Safe in Astoria, Oregon is aiming to change that, all from the safety and comfort of your own vehicle.
Due to current social and physical distancing mandates, movie theaters across the country are shuttered, but the American Legion/Old Safeway Parking Lot has been spruced up and the City of Astoria has also generously allowed electric hookup for the pop-up event to create a drive in experience. With the help of local venues and a mobile projector on The Joy Train, a recognized and adored Astoria icon, they will be rotating showings beginning at the American Legion/Old Safeway Parking Lot on Thursday and Friday nights.
TICKETS ARE FREE FOR ALL, and donations are gladly accepted, 100% of which will go to the UNITED WAY COVID emergency community fund.
As long as the weather is decent, the movies are expected to start May 7, 8, and 9 with screenings at 8:40 p.m.
Kicking off the Pop Up : Drive In : Stay Safe events in Astoria, Oregon is a new 30 minute documentary, Helmet John : Astoria is Home, the latest project by Emmy award-winning cameraman Jeff Daly. This docu-film takes a deeper look at a familiar Astoria citizen that many pass by without a second glance. Building upon his life experiences and advocacy for the indigent and mentally ill, Daly’s latest project highlights Helmet John, one of Astoria’s most beloved and well-known ambassadors. John is also the city's most recognizable homeless figure, and this film tells the story of heartbreak and mystery -- the kind of mystery that creates urban legends.
Join the Astoria community for this film, explore what it means to be homeless, and hear John’s views during the COVID-19 crisis as we ponder our relationships, responses and obligations to humanity.
Though the traditional snack shack of yesteryear isn’t available, Pop Up : Drive In : Stay Safe DOES have the next best thing. Food trucks and local restaurateurs coordinating snacks and meals to order ahead of time, starting with Coffee OR Waffle. Bridge & Tunnel Bottle Shop will be offering a mystery drive in special. Attendees are also welcome to bring their own snacks and beverages with them.
Upon confirmation of each venue, there will be a limited amount of ticket reservations released for each evening and venue. Sign up for more information and to receive updates on the Pop Up : Drive In : Stay SafeFacebook page.
Information and Tickets:
Please park by 8:30pm. Screenings begin at 8:40pm (time will adjust with season, and due to weather)
Danielle Denham is an award-winning and published photographer who loves her home state of Oregon. Recently she was featured on a regional-Emmy-winning episode of Oregon Field Guide, and is currently writing a book on Abandoned Oregon. When she isn't out and about exploring for derelict places to photograph, you may find her hanging around in Eugene Oregon with Tyler Willford and his two awesome kiddos.
An early morning 911 call about a vehicle fire outside Forest Grove has developed into a major homicide investigation after authorities discovered five people dead on a rural Washington County property. Several domestic animals were also found dead at the scene, and...
SALEM, Ore. — After decades of concern over melting glaciers, rising oceans, drought, wildfires, plastic pollution and the slow destruction of the natural world, scientists announced this week that the planet has finally been restored to perfect health thanks to...
BEND, OR — In what city officials are calling a long-overdue effort to “protect Bend’s visual identity,” the Bend City Council is reportedly considering a new ordinance that would prohibit vehicles from operating within city limits unless they are equipped with at...
A bizarre Portland case involving an early-morning break-in, a business owner jolted awake inside his own building, a pair of bolt cutters, three gunshots, and a $10 million lawsuit has finally reached its conclusion, and it is the kind of story that perfectly...
Nearly 14,000 birds have died in a growing botulism outbreak at Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge, just south of the Oregon border, and the timing could hardly be worse. The Klamath Basin is heading into one of the busiest periods of the year for migratory birds,...
There are bad driving days, and then there are days when your Toyota Prius ends up crossing a planter box, traveling through a disc golf course, cutting across a field, and cruising down a bike path in one of Eugene’s busiest parks. According to the Eugene Police...
Too $hort, one of the longest-running and most influential rappers to come out of the Bay Area, is headed to Eugene for a show at the WOW Hall on Friday, September 25, 2026. Tickets are on sale now, giving Oregon fans a chance to see a genuine hip-hop pioneer in a...
A Portland family is still waiting for answers nearly a month after a 78-year-old woman disappeared from her Montavilla home, and the discovery of her vehicle in rural southwest Washington has added a troubling new piece to the case. Claudia Grandy was last seen on...
A trip to bring food to a family turned into a mystery that has now stretched well beyond a week, and authorities on both sides of the Columbia River are asking the public to help find a missing man who seemingly disappeared along the way. The Cowlitz County Sheriff’s...
A disagreement between a Portland mother and her children's elementary school over gender identity, parental involvement and what belongs in the classroom has grown into something much larger. It is now a federal constitutional fight. Allison Roberts, a mother of two...
According to KTVZ, a Central Oregon drug investigation took a disturbing turn this week when police said it led them to a kidnapping case involving methamphetamine, firearms, a man tied to a tree, and an assault that ended with one of the victim’s fingers being...
Portland has an extinct volcano sitting right in the middle of the city, so naturally, at some point a group of grown men decided the appropriate thing to do with it was build homemade cars and race them down the side. Honestly, it would almost be stranger if this...
