Author Archives: mrdrivein

McHenry Outdoor Theatre is a winner

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photo courtesy American Honda Motor Co.

photo courtesy American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

The McHenry Outdoor Theatre (McHenry IL) is the fourth winner of a digital projector from Honda’s Project Drive-In. And today’s winner, owner Scott Dehn, has a pleasant problem – what to do with the money he’d already saved up through fundraisers.

On the McHenry’s Facebook page, Dehn wrote, “for those of you who have donated money, I am happy to tell you that not only will it help cover the installation and retrofitting of our projection booth, but the money will also help to make much needed repairs to the location. We will be painting the screen, fixing speakers and even make the route 120 sign look nice. We will be doing so much here over the next few months. You will not recognize your rejuvenated theater come next spring. I want this to continue to build upon this theater we all have loudly stated we love so much.”

Sounds like Honda was just a little cruel in the way it delivered its generous news to Dehn. First, his long Facebook post from two days ago showed that he still didn’t know about it. “First, all hope is not lost if we do not win a free projector,” he wrote. “Project Drive-In was just a fantastic opportunity to get the neccesary and expensive digital equipment for FREE. If we are not among the winners, I have a multitude of avenues to explore. I will NOT let the theater close. We WILL survive. The question is only in what capacity.” Today, according to a story in the Northwest Herald, Dehn “was in the middle of an on-camera interview with a crew he’d been told was from a film-related website.” The last interview question was “How does it feel to win a digital projector?” and only then did the crew reveal that it was from Honda.

There’s only one empty place left on the Project Drive-In page. Check tomorrow to find out who it’ll be.

Graham is third winner from Project Drive-In

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The Graham Drive-In (Graham TX) was announced today as the third winner in Honda’s Project Drive-In. By finishing among the top five candidates as voted on by Project Drive-In visitors, the Graham will receive a digital projector to help keep the drive-in experience alive.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram picked up the story, saying that the Graham’s spirited social media presence (such as its Facebook page) helped drive enough voters to the online polls. On that page, the winners posted, “THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! WE COULD NOT HAVE IT DONE WITHOUT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!” Personally, I think the “Zombie-free” YouTube video got a lot of people’s attention.

Other news outlets that picked up the story included the Graham Leader, Wichita Falls’s news leader KFDX, and for some reason, the Rock Hill SC Herald. The Leader pointed out that other Texas drive-ins still in the running included “The Brazos, in Granbury, and Sky-Vue Drive-In, in Lamesa.” Over the next couple of days, we’ll see who else wins.

Cherry Bowl wins Project Drive-In’s second projector

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Cherry Bowl Drive-In marquee showing Thank You

photo courtesy of PRNewsFoto / American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

The Cherry Bowl Drive-In (Honor MI) is today’s winner of Honda’s Project Drive-In. “Thank you to everyone who voted, and voted, and voted!” said the Cherry Bowl’s web site today. “Without you this would never have been possible.”

WPBN, Traverse City’s news leader, picked up the story, noting that “A Benzie County landmark will stay open thanks to hundreds of its fans.” In an earlier WPBN story, Cherry Bowl owner Laura Clark said, ”This 35mm film, 120-year-old technology is going to be going away by the end of the year. Without this film, these projectors – everything in this room – is obsolete.”

Honda had filmed some of its Project Drive-In online commercials at the Cherry Bowl, one of only a few places that Honda visited before the contest. That exposure, plus a story in the Detroit News, might have driven enough voters to support the Cherry Bowl as it continues forward entertaining its fans for years to come.