This is such a fun summer, weekly event! If you're in the mood for the nostalgia of drive-in movies, I highly recommend checking out the NoMa summer screen. This summer the theme of the movies seems particularly relevant to DC- as the most recent films shown were The American President, Election, and Lincoln- which I think is a timely and also enjoyable theme.
The setup is in a parking lot- it's a huge screen and there's never an issue with finding seating and everyone attending is friendly and in good spirits. The speakers are loud (to drown out the surrounding biergarten and metro line) and they also add subtitles to make the experience accessible for everyone. As previous reviewers mentioned, I recommend bringing chairs rather than a blanket because the terrain is asphalt/concrete. There are a few picnic benches, but I can't imagine sitting on a bench for a 2+ hour movie. There's also an REI around the corner if you forgot camp chairs and don't mind spending $30 on some nice ones (speaking from experience).
There are usually 5 food trucks that's show up- Popped Republic is a frequent visitor (because movies = popcorn), as well as a dessert option (Westray's Ice Cream or Dangerously Delicious Pies), and then a few dinner options. The food trucks serving dinner food run out of supplies usually by the time the movie starts, so I recommend getting their early to make sure you don't miss out.
The screening starts at dark (between 8:30-9pm) and until then they have a great playlist on the speakers, which adds to the festival like atmosphere. If it rains, the screening is obviously cancelled.
There are a number of porta potties and a hand washing station on the lot, as well as numerous trash and recycling bins! As a bonus, sometimes they have people giving out some kind of freebie (last night was Naked Juice), which is always a fun surprise.
I highly recommend checking out the NoMa summer screen if you live in DC or are just visiting! Its free and an experience that you'll want to keep attending all summer. read more