Former Fullerton Mayor and current O.C. Supervisor Doug Chaffee held a drive-in movie showing of “The Nightmare Before Christmas” to bring back a sense of community despite COVID-19 restrictions.
The event was held on October 17 & 18 at 7:00 p.m. at Craig Regional Park. Tickets were $10 per vehicle and had to be purchased online in advance. Parking fees were included in the ticket cost.
Masks were required whenever people were unable to maintain a physical distance of six feet with people outside of their group. Attendees were permitted to use chairs and blankets outside of their car but only within their designated parking space.
Parking spaces were assigned based on vehicle size. However, all spots had unobstructed views of the screen, and the audio was loud enough to be heard throughout the venue. Attendees also had the option of tuning in to 88.9 FM on their car radios for audio.
Staff members handed out complimentary popcorn at the entrance, courtesy of Pop-O-Licious ‘N More. The complimentary popcorn was decently big portions of the company’s “Chicago Blend”, which consisted of caramel, cheddar milk and soy popcorn.
Light concessions were available at the Snack Shack. Two combos were available; the first consisted of popcorn, candy and soda for $6. The second combo consisted of two portions of the first combo, but for $10. They also sold drinks and snacks individually, with prices ranging from $2 to $4.50.
Moviegoers were also able to bring their own food and drinks, although alcohol was not permitted.
The event urged attendees to stop by the Supervisor Chaffee booth, where staff sold Halloween face masks, hand sanitizers and more.
A couple of staff members working the booth got into the Halloween spirit by dressing up as “The Nightmare Before Christmas” characters, namely Sally and Oogie Boogie.
Despite great turnout both nights, some attendees still may be unaware of who Doug Chaffee is.
Chaffee was the former mayor of Fullerton, serving two full terms prior to his election as a member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors.
He currently represents the Fourth District of Orange County, which includes the cities of Fullerton, La Habra, Brea, Placentia and some portions of Anaheim and Buena Park. While he is a part of the Board of Supervisors, he also participates in various other commissions, committees and boards.
On his website, he stated that he wants to, “Be out and engaging with residents in the community.”
Doug Chaffee has held multiple social events in the past, such as the Fur-ever Family Virtual Pet Adoption Event, the Free Veteran’s Day BBQ and the Health Resource Fair. This event appeared to be another attempt to reach out to the community and meet the residents.
Doug Chaffee is a moderate Democrat, although this event did not appear to have any outright political intent apart from community outreach.
Felix Yen, a Fullerton resident, stated that he really enjoyed the change of pace compared to normal theaters. He appreciated the complimentary popcorn and thought that the ticket and snack prices were a steal when compared to traditional theaters.
Both nights were sold out and the event site was full of cars. According to Doug Chaffee’s most recent Facebook post, the first night was a success. The experience during the second night went smoothly as well, safely creating a sense of community.
Updates on future events can be found on Doug Chaffee’s Facebook page.
