Fall Drive-In Events in Ontario

by Lori Straus

With many still endeavouring to safely socialize outdoors, drive-in events haven’t seen this kind of popularity in decades now. If you’re developing screen fatigue, get in the car and head out to a drive-in event with other members of your household. As your grandmother probably told you, the fresh air will do you good.

Toronto, Canada, September 15, 2020; Drive in movie screen at Ontario Place to show Toronto International Film Festival TIFF films with social distancing during covid-19 pandemic

Immersive Van Gogh Exhibition

This art exhibition takes place in a vacant 5-storey building at 1 Yonge Street in Toronto. It features a selection of images from the over 2,000 masterpieces Vincent van Gogh painted during his lifetime. The creators of this exhibition present van Gogh’s paintings by first showing the scenes they’re based on. A limited number of spots are available in each time slot, and cars must be of course turned off while the exhibition runs. The Immersive Van Gogh Exhibition is suitable for all ages and runs until November 1.

Catch the Changing Colours of the Leaves

Did you know that you can find fall colours progression reports online? These show you where the leaves develop the richest colours in different areas in Ontario. Although technically not a drive-in event, checking out those reports and organizing a little day trip a way to catch the majesty of the fall in Ontario, this natural event needs to be included in this blog post. This website has a comprehensive list of fall colours progression reports in Ontario.

Drive-Ins Are Back

When we wrote about car-friendly events in the spring, the fate of drive-ins as pandemic-era-friendly entertainment was still up in the air. With fall now here, drive-ins are still open, though a quick review of online listings show schedules only until the end of October. Here are a few drive-ins that are still showing movies this month:

Dinosaur Drive-Thru

Hurry! Prehistoric beasts only alive in Kitchener until October 25th! A cross between a drive-in, a museum, and a zoo, the Dinosaur Drive-Thru allows families with dinosaur lovers to drive along paths at Bingemans to see dinos while listening to an informative audio presentation on the radio. Walk-through option available, too, and you can book your dino tour with a drive-in movie on site when available.

If the little dino geek in your family asks, these are dinosaurs from the Mesozoic Era.

Lots of Options

We only have space here to list a few events you can travel to with people in your household while staying a safe distance away from other households. Keep an eye out on local sources for drive-in and drive-through events. We’re certain you’ll find several that will entice your household to head out for a few hours of fun.