Under a starry night sky, the soft hum of car engines and the smell of fresh popcorn drifted through the air. Families cozied up in their cars, children fidgeted with excitement and clusters of friends settled into lawn chairs as “Matilda” lit up screens at Gainesville’s first drive-in movie theater since 1992.
The screening, held Thursday night, drew 12 cars to The Knot in downtown Gainesville.
While most guests hoped to watch from the comfort of their cars, space filled up fast, and volunteers guided late arrivals to spread out across the open lawn. By the time the opening credits rolled, the field had transformed into a patchwork of picnic blankets, folding chairs and clusters of people beneath the stars.
Le-Alem Getachew organized the event. The 29-year-old grew up in Gainesville and has dreamed of hosting a drive-in since childhood.
“I’ve always wanted to go to a drive-in, and ‘Matilda’ was one of my favorite movies,” Getachew said. “When I learned Gainesville used to have one years ago, I thought, ‘Why not bring it back?’”
After months of planning, Getachew and her friends pooled their resources to make the event possible. Community members donated or volunteered screens, projectors and flyers for the cause.
That support proved crucial when challenges arose. One screen, originally intended to be elevated for easier viewing, collapsed multiple times due to wind. Still, Getachew maintained a calm focus and eventually secured the screen.
“We had to pivot quickly and communicate with everyone in line,” Getachew said. “It was stressful, but people were so understanding. That kind of support is what makes Gainesville special.”
Later, as the film started, Getachew paused for the first time that night and looked around. Children were laughing, families were huddled together in their cars, and her friends were smiling at the sight of it all.
“Seeing the families enjoying themselves reminded me of being a kid again,” Getachew said. “It felt like giving my younger self a hug —- like saying, ‘Look, you did it.’”
Melissa Peña, 36, attended with her husband and two daughters, pulling up in their SUV early to snag a spot close to the screen. She found the night exciting because of her own childhood memories tied to the movie, she said.
“It’s so fun introducing films that meant a lot to me to my kids,” Peña said.
Peña said her eldest daughter had dreamed of visiting a drive-in theater all summer, and it was important to Peña to give her daughter that experience.
While families like Peña’s came to relive cherished memories, students arrived ready to create their own. Among them was Fionnula Mendoza, a 21-year-old UF wildlife ecology junior who said the event offered the perfect mix of community and entertainment.
“A regular movie theater is fun, but this feels more special,” Mendoza said.
Mendoza, a Clermont native, grew up attending drive-ins, a tradition she cherished going into adulthood. For her, the night wasn’t just about a movie, but about recreating a sense of nostalgia and wonder she’d felt as a kid. She was excited to introduce her roommate to “Matilda,” one of her favorite movies growing up.
Getachew said she hopes to host more drive-in nights, potentially with themed programming for the upcoming holiday season. However, she noted expanding the event will require more funding and logistical support to make it sustainable long-term.
“If anyone out there wants to invest, we’d love the help,” she said. “This is about more than movies. It’s about creating something for the community.”
Contact Aaliyah Evertz at aevertz@alligator.org. Follow her on X @aaliyahevertz1.
Aaliyah is a general assignment reporter for The Avenue. She's a second-year journalism student in her first semester at The Alligator. In her free time, she loves to bake, read and also write for Her Campus UFL.
