Arts, Dining & Entertainment

Drive-in theater and outdoor foodpark coming to Rutland

Tickets go on sale June 17

RUTLAND— The Paramount Theatre and The Vermont State Fair, two long-standing Rutland not-for-profit organizations, have announced that they are partnering on two new initiatives with the goal of offering their community safe, fun, value-filled entertainment and dining options.

The two groups are teaming up to create a drive-in movie theater located on the westernmost lawn of the fairgrounds. This new venue will feature 17 summer classics on a 32’ by 18’ screen beginning with “Jaws” at 8:45 p.m. on Friday, July 3 and continue through the last weekend of August (Friday and Saturday nights, weather dependent) with another 16 summer blockbusters. Tickets for these screenings will be available on The Paramount Theatre website, ParamountVT.org beginning Friday, June 17  at noon. The cost is $25 per carload with ticket sales limited to 80 cars.

In a nod to satisfying fairgoers’ fair-food cravings during a year that fairs are prohibited due to Covid-19 concerns, an outdoor food park will be created on the northern border of the parking area for the drive-in movie theatre. The food park will be open Wednesday through Sunday. Interested vendors may make their interest known by visiting VermontStateFair.org for an application.

The entrance for both the outdoor food park and the drive-in will be located on Park Street just east of the railroad crossing. Both the drive-in theater and the food park will abide by social distancing guidelines including one-way foot traffic and take-out service only (no seating options for those dining.)

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