Among the happiest business owners following the governor’s press conference this afternoon was the Loeks family, owners and operators of Celebration Cinema theaters across the state, including on Cinema Way in Benton Harbor.
Following a brief return to business closures, the Celebration Cinema team reports this afternoon that they are excited to re-open theatre doors on Monday, December 21st, on time for brand new Christmas Day movies. As per orders from the MI Department of Health and Human Services, food and beverage, however, will not be available for in-theatre consumption at this time.
JD Loeks, President of Celebration Cinema parent Studio C, says, “We feel really good about the experience we can offer, and are confident about the safety of going to the movies following our last round of theatre openings.” He adds, “Nation-wide, and in our Michigan theatres, there was no evidence of spread of COVID-19 in movie theatres that were following CinemaSafe guidelines. That is great news for us, and for everyone who wants to kick back and enjoy a movie on the giant screen.”
The opportunity comes at a good time, with the following movies opening on Christmas Day:
- WONDER WOMAN 1984
- NEWS OF THE WORLD
- PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
- MONSTER HUNTER
Emily Loeks, Community Affairs Director for Studio C adds, “These are classic big screen movies,” noting, “They offer terrific story-telling, cinematography and sound that you’ll enjoy being swept up in for a few hours.”
The opportunity to reopen also satisfies community demand for private show times. Hundreds of extended families and community ‘pods,’ looking for the safest of indoor gathering options, have reached out to Celebration Cinema theatres to schedule a private show. Those can be scheduled for current movies or dozens of holiday, family and adventure classics through a link on the Celebration Cinema website.
Loeks points out, “Large auditoriums, high ceilings, robust HVAC and the social dynamics of theatres work to our advantage,” adding, “We’ll be requiring masks and have the capacity to space household groups comfortably apart.”
Many theatre companies across the country, including Celebration Cinema, have committed to follow CinemaSafe, a voluntary set of health and safety guidelines that go above and beyond those enforced by the CDC and health departments of most states. Though much of the theatre experience will feel familiar, theatre guests should expect a few adjustments for better efficiency and protection of guests and staff.
- Physical distancing measures will include reduced seating capacity, in accordance with CDC and local health department guidelines. Reserved seating will automatically space groups apart from each other.
- Celebration Cinema staff will use personal protective equipment, including face masks. Guests are required to wear masks at all times.
- All customers are encouraged to pre-purchase tickets online at http://celebrationcinema.com or via the Celebration Cinema app. Online convenience fees are temporarily waived to minimize lines.
- Celebration Cinema will not be accepting cash for payment, so you are asked to please plan for online, credit card or gift card purchases only.
- Frequent cleaning of high-touch surfaces will be ongoing, and deep cleaning overnight.
- Movie treats will be available for take-out and outdoor pop-up drive-in experiences.
More details regarding specific theatre opening dates, days and hours of operation and other frequently asked questions, including those new for 2020, can be found on the Celebration Cinema website: https://celebrationcinema.com/faq.
Emily Loeks says, “Gathering around stories is one of the best parts of the holiday season,” concluding, “We are glad to be able to offer that to our communities again.”
