Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Ogres are more commonly known to frequent swamps, but come dusk next Friday Aug. 21, there could be one or two spotted near the Napanee River.
That’s because the Town of Greater Napanee will be hosting a special Movie by the River at Conservation Park, showcasing the 2001 hit family movie, Shrek on an outdoor big screen.
Around 8:30 p.m. is when it’ll be dark enough to start showing the film. Guests can arrive and check in about an hour before then. Following the province of Ontario’s COVID-19 protocols, viewers must sit spaced apart, limited to family cohorts. A maximum of 100 people will be permitted into the space.
“It’s going to be nice right by the pavilion with all the big trees and the grassy area,” said Kelsey Pearson, community programming clerk with Greater Napanee. “We encourage people to think of it as kind of a picnic format where you’re all in your own little grounds where we have our own social distancing markers everywhere and they can just relax and bring snacks and drinks if they want and watch a movie in this really nice park setting.”
The town has enlisted Open Air Projections to show the film, which will be projected onto a giant inflatable screen. They’re the same company that is used for Kingston’s Movies in the Square.
This will mark the first time Greater Napanee has hosted a Movie by the River event. The event was in the works prior to the COVID-19 outbreak and for a while it looked as though it wasn’t going to be possible this year. Fortunately there was still enough time to get the event together when the province moved into Stage 3 of its re-opening.
“The nice thing about being able to offer these events is those people who might not feel comfortable going to indoor settings, it’s an opportunity for them to enjoy some entertainment, be with their community and still be in the open air setting where they can feel safe,” added Pearson.
If this event goes well, Pearson says the town would consider making it an annual event for the summer.