Although drive-ins will have to meet strict guidelines, these cinemas of a bygone era are officially allowed to open in Hamburg. Their contribution to filling the void felt by many in the wake of the pandemic will be significant. After all, a night at the drive-in is a pretty safe way to take in some culture again. If guests stay in their cars during, before and after screenings, the virus has no chance of ruining a perfect night at the movies.
Luckily, the city of Hamburg has some perfect locations for setting up temporary drive-in cinemas. Not only do places like the Trabrennbahn race tracks or Heiligengeistfeld square offer the necessary space, but they also have a long history of hosting large-scale events. While Trabrennbahn is known for its open air concerts, Heiligengeistfeld is famous for hosting the Hamburg DOM, as well as public screenings of international football matches.
Safe, cosy and suited to your needs
Drive-in cinemas are truly the perfect event-solution for social distancing. Firstly, you’ll never have to worry about being seated behind the tallest person in the room. But even better, audio tracks are sent directly to car radios - not only reducing noise levels but, theoretically, allowing viewers to choose their preferred language version individually.
Guidelines
It’s now up to movie-goers, to behave responsibly and make sure that we can enjoy great films until the end of the pandemic. Some of the requirements viewers must adhere to are:
- Tickets must be bought remotely and without interpersonal contact
- Attendees must remain seated in their cars, with the exception of bathroom breaks. Minimum distances of 1.5m must be kept at all times
- Audio tracks may only be transmitted via radio frequencies
Drive-In Cinemas in Hamburg
This small drive-in cinema offers room for 30 automobiles. Screened movies are announced on-site. Tickets are 10 Euro per car.
The large-scale drive-in cinema on the Trabrennbahn Bahrenfeld race tracks will open soon. See the programme for additional information in German.
The Autokino (lit. ‘car cinema’) on Heiligengeistfeld square is scheduled to start activities in June. The vast area has enough room for up to 500 cars. Further information about the programme will follow in the near future.
The Cruise Center Steinwerder will be used as a drive-in cinema and concert location starting in June, 2020. The CRUISE INN – Once in a Livetime series will present a string of concerts and cultural events in a one-of-a-kind location. So far, a number of events have been confirmed.
This package is meant for businesses planning to turn their property into a makeshift outdoor cinema. From assembly and disassembly, to screening and event management, everything is included. This is the perfect idea for your company’s summer party.
For more Corona-related information, please see the our article on What's Important to Stay Safe.
About Drive-In Cinemas
Drive-in Cinemas have long been associated with the USA, where, starting in 1933, they flourished for much of the 20th century. However, although they were a staple of American culture in the 50s and 60s, they have mostly disappeared since the 90s. In Europe and Germany, this form of entertainment never fully caught on. Although there have been some drive-in cinemas since the 1960s, these have historically been located in direct proximity of American army bases. One exception was the drive-in in Hamburg Billstedt, which hosted movie screenings until 2003.
