How to host a drive-in movie night
Car layout, FM radio audio, licensing, dead batteries, and a run of show for a parking lot drive-in.
Drive-In Movie Screen Rentals in DFW
We can set up a drive-in in a church, school, or shopping center parking lot, with a daylight-bright LED screen, the movie’s audio on every car radio over FM, and a technician on site.
The 16′ × 9′ Main Event screen is $3,750 for four hours of show time, delivered, set up, and run by our technician. See all prices
Why LED Works for a Drive-In
Parking lots are hard on projectors. Lot lights often run on timers nobody on site can switch off, and a projected movie can’t start until the sky is fully dark. An LED screen is bright enough for daylight and stays sharp under lot lights, so a summer drive-in can start at 8 instead of after 9:15.
The screen rides on a hydraulic mast, so it goes up high enough for the back rows to see over the cars in front of them.
Movie Audio on Every Car Radio
With the movie night kit ($195), we set up a low-power FM transmitter that carries the movie’s sound across the lot. Guests tune their car radios to the station on your entrance sign, and anyone sitting outside their car can use a portable radio. Add pro sound ($395) if you also want speakers by the concession stand.
How Many Cars Fit
| Screen | Cars, roughly | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Block Party, 12′ × 7′ | About 20 | $2,750 |
| Main Event, 16′ × 9′ | About 35 | $3,750 |
| Stadium, 17′ × 10′ to 23′ × 13′ | About 40 to 75 | From $5,250 |
These counts assume angled rows with room to open doors, and a back row no more than about 16 screen heights from the screen. For a bigger lot, two screens beat one. Try your own numbers:
Screen size planner
Main Event, 16′ × 9′$3,750 for four hours with a technician
With 30 cars, your farthest car will be about 137 ft from the screen. That’s past the ideal 72 ft but within the 144 ft that works for a drive-in movie.
Rules of thumb, not guarantees. Sightlines, trees, and the shape of your space matter too; we confirm the size with you before you book.
Planning the Lot
- Park trucks and SUVs in the back rows and along the edges so they don’t block smaller cars.
- Keep fire lanes and one exit lane open all night.
- Put volunteers with flashlights at the entrance to direct cars and hand out the radio station.
- Ask guests to switch headlights off once they park and to start their engines now and then so batteries stay charged. Keep a portable jump starter at the entrance.
- Licensing works the same as any public screening: the license is issued in the host’s name. How movie licensing works.
The drive-in planning guide walks through layout, audio, and a run of show.
Our Guarantees
All three are written into your rental contract. See all booking terms.
Rental agreement §9.4
On-Time Guarantee
If the screen isn’t running at your start time because of the equipment or crew we provide, you aren’t charged for the lost time.
Rental agreement §6
Weather Reschedule
If lightning or high wind cancels your event, move it to any open date within 12 months at no charge. If your date can’t move, like Easter, and the call comes before the halfway point, you can take a refund of everything but the deposit instead.
Rental agreement §3
Posted Pricing
You pay our posted prices, and your written quote lists sales tax and any travel past 30 miles before you book.
Do guests need anything special to hear the movie?
No. Any car with an FM radio works. We give you the station to post at the entrance, and guests sitting outside their cars can use any portable FM radio.
Will the radio drain car batteries?
Running the radio for a two-hour movie can drain an older battery. Ask guests to start their engines for a few minutes now and then, and keep a portable jump starter at the entrance.
Can we sell tickets and concessions?
Yes, that’s up to you. If you charge admission, say so when you license the movie, because ticketed screenings can cost more to license.
Planning Guides
Do you need a license to show a movie at a public event?
When a movie night needs a license, whose name it goes in, and what one showing usually costs.
What size LED screen do you need?
How far back each screen size works, and how much room your crowd takes.
Check Availability
Send your event date and city; it takes about 30 seconds.
What Happens Next
To see the full price first, use the booking form or call (214) 239-4458.
- The trailer runs on its own generator, so you don’t need an outlet.
- If lightning or high wind cancels your event, move it free to any open date within 12 months.
- Private property usually needs no permit. A public park or street usually does, often 30 to 90 days ahead; see the permit guide.