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Secret Cinema’s Drive-in at Goodwood in West Sussex

Frankie and Johnny Starlight steal the show at The Drive-in

With my right foot on the dashboard and my left hand on the steering wheel, I roared with laughter as my husband tried to reach his left foot to the parcel shelf from the front seat.

Giggles and guffaws rang out from every car as our hosts at Secret Cinema’s Drive-in, Frankie and Johnny Starlight, lead us through a game of twister, the real twist being that we all played this in our cars!

Our ticket for The Drive-in from Secret Cinema and Goodwood was complimentary for review purposes. 

Frankie Starlight in her winged chariot

Frankie took to her winged chariot and rode around the parked cars judging which car had managed to get the most twisted awarding the winners with tubs of delectable Häagen-Dazs ice cream.

Next to us, four bearded ladies untangled their limbs and started dancing and singing to the music, while off to our right a young boy dressed up as the worlds strongest man lifted his inflatable weights high above his head.

His mother was a fortune teller and their car was dressed up too, as a circus tent! If you haven’t guessed it already, the film today was ‘The Greatest Showman’ starring Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum the founder of Barnum & Bailey Circus. It’s a fabulous musical but the antics of Frankie and Johnny really stole the show.

Arrive early at Goodwood

We’d arrived early at Secret Cinema’s Drive-in at the Goodwood Motor Circuit that morning to get a good spot for our car. To be honest, though, I really don’t think it matters which parking bay you end up in, the experience will be fabulous just the same. What matters is that you don’t miss the pre-film entertainment. It’s hysterical!

Arriving at Goodwood for the Secret Cinema Drive-in

We were directed to a parking bay and given our own JBL speaker. The screen is huge and clearly visible wherever you park, although keep in mind that anyone in the backseat of your car will get a restricted view.

The show was billed to start at 11.30am but it was already in full swing when we got there around 11.

Johnny Starlight on the bug screen

For more than an hour, Johnny played classic hits for everyone to dance and sing along too, as well as several games and challenges while safely social distancing in our cars.

As Frankie sped between the cars, the party atmosphere grew. Whoops and cheers echoed around the venue each time a winner of a giveaway was announced. As well as ice cream and other goodies, prizes included a Bluetooth speaker.

Upcoming Films at Goodwood’s Secret Cinema

There’s a great range of films coming up including family favourites, horror films and musicals. Moulin Rouge, Star Wars, and Dirty Dancing are particularly popular and dressing up accordingly is encouraged.

Ice cream at Secret Cinema's Drive-in

Food & Drink at The Drive-in

Food and drinks can be ordered in advance or from your car via their website. We tried the Sweet and Salty Popcorn costing £5 for a large 100g bag. It’s a bit expensive, but it was delicious. Individual tubs of Häagen-Dazs ice cream cost £3.50.

I tried the Chocolate Salted Caramel which really hit the spot on such a hot day. Neill ‘s Berries and Cream and Alex’s, Mango ice creams both went down a treat. We ordered from the car, and it didn’t take long at all to arrive.

Burgers hotdogs, and fries, as well as wine, larger and teas and coffees, were also available.

Häagen-Dazs ice cream

Tickets for Secret Cinema’s Drive-in

Tickets start at £37.50 (plus booking fee) per car for up to five people but please keep in mind that the view from the back seat will not be as good. My step-daughter came with us and sat in the back. She loved it and told me, “It was great fun despite being a little tricky to see from the back seat. It might be better to pick a film you’ve seen before if more than two of you go. I still absolutely loved it!”

We all agreed that it was a great day out, if a little pricey if it’s just the two of you. With more of you in the car, it becomes quite reasonable. I’ve been to many events at Goodwood all of which I have completely loved and The Drive-in didn’t disappoint. There were a few niggles such as our speaker needing changing halfway through the film but that didn’t distract from our overall enjoyment.

Secret Cinema screenings run until the end of August 2020. Shows do sell out so I’d recommend booking early. To buy tickets and find out more about facilities, car restrictions, health and safety etc visit Secret Cinema’s website.

Secret Cinema Drive-in goody bag

Photography by Kathryn Burrington and courtesy of Secret Cinema