The owner of the McHenry Outdoor Theater said he wondered if it was a joke when he got an email from the Chicago Bears about a month ago.
As it turns out, the email was legit, and the Monsters of the Midway are holding a “drive-in take over” on Tuesday, October 27 at the theater, which is one of the few remaining drive-ins in the country.
“We are very excited, but we are in work mode right now,” said Scott Dehn, owner of the McHenry Outdoor Theater in Lakemoor. “We want it to be super successful. We want the customers to be happy, and we want the Bears pleased with what we have done. We were pinching ourselves right now.”
The Bears are going to have a host of activities for fans to enjoy at the drive-in. The team will provide photo opportunities, including with their iconic mascot Staley, along with exclusive Bears giveaways, Bears-themed games, and a “Mini-Monsters” clinic.
Of course, no day at the drive-in would be complete without a movie, and the film “Little Giants” will be screened at the event.
“Kids will be running around in front of the screen playing football, just enjoying themselves,” said Joe Cicero, president of marketing and promotions. “There is not a ton of events where the Bears go out and have Staley and mini clinics. We have this gorgeous venue, and on that day, there is going to be a sea of Bears gear and flags.”
Knowing the ravenous appetite of Bears fans, the drive-in plans on serving 1,500 hundred hotdogs, 1,500 hundred burgers, 2,000 buckets of popcorn and cases of candy.
“We sold just over 400 tickets, and we have under 100 tickets available right now,” Dehn said. “The tickets are $30 a car, and that includes everyone in your car. And no, we will not be checking trunks.”
“We want you to wear your Bears stuff,” Cicero said. “We want you to come out and have some family fun with the Bears.”
The gates open at 5 p.m. and the film will start around 7:30 p.m. No buses, RV’s or semi trucks are allowed, and the event will go forward rain or shine.
“Our ultimate goal, our vison is to be able to one day to show a Bears Super Bowl on the big screen,” Dehn said. “Every journey starts with one step one, and this is our step one. We will see where it goes, but so far it has been really fun.”
To learn more or get tickets, visit McHenry Outdoor Theater.
