The immersive production company based out in Spain called Fever partnered with Netflix to bring a drive-thru experience to L.A. based on the hit series Stranger Things. Although the event has sold out since August, the companies decided to keep the event going on until February 2021 with ticket availability added to each night at random.
Creativity is at the centerpiece for entertainment during this pandemic, which was not an exemption for Fever when they were tasked to think in the ‘upside down’ for this Halloween season. Questions quickly emerged from concerned ticket buyers on where would the event be located in L.A. and what are the COVID-19 safety procedures – while others were eager to visit Hawkins.
David Clark, a devotee of the show, stated “I was very concerned about where the event was going to happen because we barely even have space for ourselves here in L.A. no parking from left to right.”
Clark retells that he only bought the tickets because every huge event was canceled, and he wanted to experience a unique event.
As for COVID-19 safety procedures for attendees and employees, the website informed that everyone had to follow the same procedure as other public spaces, such as wearing a mask. Attendees were not required to wear a mask in their cars unless they had to visit a restroom or interact with an employee at the ticket booth.
The event encourages attendees to dress up in 80’s attire with how-to guides from jockey to new wave styles, and Fashion Forward is a curated amazon shop for your nights look at the drive-into Hawkins reunion.
DTLA is a city with limited space, but the creative team was able to find immense space at the ROW DTLA located near the Art District and Skid Row. Location was everything for this event since it caught attention early in the process of production with a test screening occurring in late October. James Avila was one of the few attendee test subjects before “star court mall” opened for the press and public.
Avila stated, “I was super excited for the opportunity to attend the event, but we had to keep a lot of information to ourselves until they opened to the public”.
“But I do remember that a lot of us at the event wanted more actors in certain scenes. However they really outdid themselves with the production level for a last minute event. I would most definitely attend again just to relive the 80s”.
The opening day looked like a circus that arrived in town with tainted love by the soft cells blasting from a mile away. Getting into the location was easy with no car congestion but formed lines to wait in your parked car for the one-hour show to start.
Attendees get greeted by the Hawkins science teacher Scott Clarke, and he warms up everyone for the show with workout skits that you can do from your car. Folks followed along with Clarke by sticking out one leg from their car’s, and other attendees were singing from the top of their lungs – “Hey Mickey, you’re so fine”.
Once the show starts drivers are instructed to drive 5 mph through a 5-level parking structure which had four different sets that completely took you out of L.A. into season 3 of Stranger Things.
The last sequence at the drive-into experience was filled with astonishing visuals that outmatched any drive-in or movie theater screen. Fever used state-of-the-art technology called LED walls which is being used by Hollywood tv shows such as “The Mandalorian”. 50% of the production for, “The Mandalorian” was filmed with this unique piece of technology that takes storytelling to another level.
Will you be experiencing the Upside Down now? You can bird watch for tickets at https://strangerthingsdriveinto.com/.