In ongoing efforts to bring some sense of normalcy back to summer in Michigan’s Great Southwest, the St. Joseph City Commission approved plans to return to Movies in the Park at Whirlpool Centennial Park beginning in July, but also recognize that they may be forced to repeat the Drive-In format that was pressed into action last year in response to the pandemic.
The Commission voted unanimously to resume the Movies in the Park starting on July 10th with Lego Movie 2, recognizing at the same time that if the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services restrictions in place at that time force them to, they will have at minimum two Drive-In options as a fallback position.
Greg Grothous, Deputy Director Parks and Grounds, reminded the commission that last year, the city changed the format of Movies in the Park to a Drive-In format utilizing the parking lot at St. Joseph High School. He told the commission, “We received numerous compliments and appreciation for adapting and still being able to offer a great community event every weekend in July and August.”
He says, “For this year our thought is that depending on Public Health Orders and County public health recommendations, we would plan to begin with our traditional format of Movies in the Park, but in response to the popularity of the Drive-In format we would offer at minimum two (2) Drive-In options.”
Grothous says that city staff members have locations in mind for this year but, “To prevent confusion in the event a change is necessary, we will announce those once we get closer to the first movie date and have a better grasp of the Health Orders in effect at that time.” He notes, “At present, gatherings of up to 300 are allowed outdoors, and we believe that would allow us to hold these movies, and we are hopeful that number will not be more restrictive during the movie season although of course we would abide by any regulations.”
The City Commission approved a new contract with TPC Technologies, Inc., to provide services, includiing rental and set up of the screen, projector, amplification and FM Signal each Saturday in July and August with the format and locations to be announced later, as part of the 2021 Movies in the Park series, for a total cost of $12,800, a fee of $1,600 per movie.
Expenses include a licensing fee ($250) as well as rental of eight movies from Swank Motion Pictures ($3,510.00).
The first movie of the season, Lego Movie 2 will be shown on the big screen on Saturday, July 10th beginning at 8:00pm. The movies are free to the public.
Here’s the full lineup, as proposed:
- July 10 – Lego Movie 2
- July 17 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
- July 24 – Trolls World Tour
- July 31- Field of Dreams
- August 7 – Monsters vs Aliens
- August 14 – Onward
- August 21 – Goonies
- August 28 – WNIT’s Dolittle/St.Joseph River Documentary
Marketing efforts include City and St. Joseph Today websites, the city’s downtown corner signage, and social media.
As in recent years, in the event of inclement weather, the movies will be shown inside the John and Dede Howard Ice Arena rather than being canceled.
