Arada to launch Sharjah’s first drive-in cinema experience
Screenings at Movie Nights at Aljada will take place on a daily basis from 8pm and will be free to enter on a first come, first served basis
Arada is preparing to open a new drive-in cinema at Madar at Aljada, its recently opened family entertainment destination in Sharjah. The developer says the cinema is scheduled to open on Wednesday, 1 July and states that Movie Nights at Aljada will showcase a wide range of films throughout the summer and beyond.
The permanent cinema has a capacity of 150 vehicles, and visitors will be allocated spaces depending on the size of their vehicles. Movie audio will be accessible via FM radio, the statement said. Visitors will be able to order food to their vehicles from the nearby Zad at Aljada, the new food district featuring 17 types of cuisine.
The cinema is being launched in collaboration with Dubai-based Urban Entertainment. The company is said to be responsible for several outdoor cinemas in the UAE, and will adhere to all current and future guidelines with regard to safety and social distancing, the statement noted.
“Movie Nights at Aljada is a significant addition to the list of attractions on offer at Madar at Aljada, and it is also our way of thanking the Sharjah community for its strength and resilience during these exceptionally challenging times. We look forward to welcoming guests back to Aljada and providing them with a safe form of entertainment,” said HE Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, chairman of Arada.
Opened on 27 February by HH Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, Madar at Aljada is the first part of Sharjah’s largest megaproject to be completed. Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the entertainment district contains the Aljada Discovery Centre, a children’s adventure playground, a skatepark, an indoor events space and an amphitheatre, the statement explained.
The entertainment destination is said to have welcomed more than 60,000 visitors during March, before COVID-19 resulted in the closure of some parts of the site. In total, more than 100,000 people have now visited Madar at Aljada since launch, the statement said.
Aljada’s drive-in cinema is said to complement Sharjah’s long association with the movie industry, which began some 77 years ago with the opening of the UAE’s first ‘cinema’ at the old Mahatta air base in the centre of the city.
