Austin, TX — May 16th, 2022 — “Dinner, Drinks & A Movie… All At The Same Place”
That’s what Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, a one-screen theater built in a converted warehouse in downtown Austin, offered on the day of its grand opening, May 24th, 1997. Twenty-five years later, the cinema that twenty-somethings Tim and Karrie League created now has 36 locations (and counting) across the country, with a never-ending mission to preserve, promote, and protect the theatrical experience for the millions of film lovers it welcomes each year.
To celebrate, on Friday, May 20th, Alamo Drafthouse’s fabled outdoor screening wing Rolling Roadshow will show the very first movie to play the night Alamo Drafthouse officially opened – RAISING ARIZONA, the eternally excellent Coen Brothers’ classic starring Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, and John Goodman.
“I remember quite vividly scrambling to finish everything and put on our very first show 25 years ago. We had a brand new staff of 20 people and had never trained or employed anyone before that day, it was tense” says Tim League, Alamo Drafthouse co-founder and Executive Chairman. “We’ve learned so much over the years, but the passion remains the same. We love movies and want to share that love with all of you.
The screening, which is set to begin around 8:45pm, will be preceded by a performance from acclaimed Austin band and long-time Alamo Drafthouse collaborators The Octopus Project.
The event is free and will be held on the grounds of another Austin institution celebrating 25 years, Live Oak Brewing Company. When the Alamo first opened 25 years ago, Live Oak was one of the original six taps. Seating is Bring Your Own Chair (or blanket), with photo ops, a disc golf course, and a food truck on site throughout the event. Full details are available here.
Additionally, Alamo Drafthouse and Rolling Roadshow plan to take the show on the road with a summer tour featuring unique outdoor screenings held all over the country, with stops planned in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, St. Louis, and Washington, DC.
Of course, Alamo Drafthouse would be nowhere without their dedicated team, so all Alamo Drafthouse Cinema locations will be closed for a team appreciation day on June 8th.
“I feel very lucky to be part of a team with so much history, passion, and dedication to our core mission. That dedication to celebrating film and providing a better theater experience is why we’ve been around so long, and we’re not stopping any time soon,” said Shelli Taylor, CEO of Alamo Drafthouse.
ALAMO25 ANNIVERSARY ROLLING ROADSHOW
Austin, TX
When: May 20th, 2022 | 6:30pm – 11pm
Where: Live Oak Brewing Company
Join Alamo Drafthouse for a free outdoor screening of the first movie ever played in an Alamo Drafthouse, Joel and Ethan Coen’s RAISING ARIZONA. In addition to the screening, guests will enjoy games, food, surprise guests, live music, and a proclamation from Mayor Steve Adler of Austin. Festivities begin at 6:30 pm, and the screening starts at 8:30 pm. Admission is free, but guests must RSVP via Eventbrite prior to arriving. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets for a fun and memorable evening under the stars.
June
New York City, NY
28 Liberty Summer Film Series
Every Thursday from June 9th through June 30th at 28 Liberty Plaza
Alamo Drafthouse will host a free outdoor screening series on the plaza in front of their new Lower Manhattan theater, every Thursday from 6/9 – 6/30. Guests will enjoy an interactive experience where they can hand crank their very own commemorative Alamo25 poster off a vintage 1938 Vandercook letterpress.
July
Chicago
To be announced.
Los Angeles
In partnership with Universal Pictures and Monkeypaw Productions, Alamo Drafthouse will bring a select group of fans to a Rolling Roadshow screening at a horse ranch in Los Angeles where they’ll be the first to see Oscar-winning writer/director Jordan Peele’s new horror epic, NOPE. The film, in theaters July 22, stars Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer and Oscar nominee Steven Yeun as residents in a lonely gulch of inland California who bear witness to an uncanny and chilling discovery.
Guests will enjoy horseback riding, cowboy lessons and tours of the ranch before the screening.
More details are set to be announced shortly.
August
St. Louis
To be announced.
Washington, DC
To be announced.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
Founded in 1997, Alamo Drafthouse has been heralded for unique programming events, great food and drinks, and high exhibition standards, earning accolades including “Best Theater Ever” by Time Magazine and “The Coolest Theater in the World” by Wired. A September 2018 Market Force Information survey of nearly 13,000 moviegoers across the country gave Alamo Drafthouse the #1 ranking for Favorite Movie Theater, Best Service, and all food and beverage-related categories.
Alamo Drafthouse provides a unique combination of theater and restaurant, showing first-run movies, independent films and special events with an extensive menu made from scratch. Guests order all food and drinks from servers who quietly attend to them throughout the movie from inside the theater. Patrons are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy the pre-show entertainment. Instead of a barrage of advertising, Alamo Drafthouse shows a curated collection of rare and humorous clips themed to each feature.
Additionally, Alamo Drafthouse protects the theatrical experience with a zero tolerance policy for people who disrupt the film with talking or texting. Alamo Drafthouse’s “Don’t Talk” PSAs have frequently received national attention, and have featured former Texas Governor Ann Richards, Jeff Goldblum and a velociraptor, Georgie from IT, THE ROOM director and star Tommy Wiseau, and one very angry voicemail.
For developments on the new Alamo Drafthouse locations visit drafthouse.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and sign up for email updates via the Alamo Victory loyalty program at drafthouse.com/victory.
