Engines off, party on! A drive-in pantomime, Christmas cinema and car-aoke experience is bringing the magic of Christmas to Bristol

With theatres closed, gatherings off limits and coronavirus restrictions likely to continue into winter, it’s undeniable Christmas will look a little different this year but The Parking Lot Social are here to inject some much needed festive fun!

Taking place at Bristol Airport, drive-in festival The Parking Lot Social is bringing Christmas to Bristol with a host of exciting socially-distanced events this December.

From 27th -30th December visitors will be welcomed to a festive evening of fun entertainment from pantomime and cinema evenings to silent discos and much more. Famous for their vast inflatable sets, the winter festival will feature a fabulous 60ft tall rainbow coloured Christmas tree and a giant DJing Santa Claus providing the perfect backdrop for the entertainment.

Following the closure of theatres over the winter months, guests will still be able to get their annual pantomime fix with the first Parking Lot pantomime, a twist on the classic Cinderella. Featuring all the panto elements you know and love, as well as a few ‘drive-in’ twists along the way, a troupe of nine professional actors will restore our faith in Christmas as audiences follow Cinders on her adventures, helped by the Fairy Godmother. An on-site crew will film the action and broadcast the panto from the stage directly onto two 40 foot screens meaning there's not a bad seat in the house.

For those craving a much-needed night out, the ‘Big Weekender’ is the perfect opportunity to let loose and indulge in some festive fun! Park next to friends and dance at a distance for a night to remember. The jam-packed party night includes a Silent Disco, Live Cam ‘Car-A-Oke, Party Bingo and Interactive quizzes.

Swap the ho-ho-ho’s for ha-ha-ha’s at special adult comedy night ‘Parking LOL’ which is set to provide some much needed cheer to end the year – watch this space for an exciting line up announcement coming soon…

For families on the hunt for some Christmas cheer, Social Kids is the perfect party for little ones featuring family ‘Christmas car-a-oke’, an interactive quiz, a silent disco and Party Bingo hosted by Santa Claus himself!

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without watching a few iconic festive films! Movie-lovers can choose from a selection of drive-in festive favourites including Love Actually, Elf and Home Alone which will be shown on two giant screens with the sound broadcast straight to the cars. Guests will be treated to pre movie entertainment including quizzes and DJ sets to get the audience to get everyone in the festive spirit – watch out for a few surprises along the way!

Feeling peckish? Have your snacks delivered directly to your cars from some of the best local food trucks around. Expect classic gourmet burgers, loaded fries, wood-fired pizzas and hot dogs alongside sweet winter warmers including hot chocolate, donuts, toasted nuts, gingerbread men and more.

And it wouldn’t be Christmas without a grand finale so each event will finish with a fantastic, festive firework display.

In line with government guidelines, safety is at the heart of every event and audiences will participate in the immersive, interactive shows from their own cars. The events are completely contactless ensuring a safe and socially distant experience with strict cleaning and social distancing rules throughout. Organisers have even committed to full ticket refunds if additional government restrictions should restrict the event from going ahead.

John Kinnersley, Chief Operating Officer at XL Event Lab, the company behind the events, said: “If someone had said to us we’d be planning a socially distanced drive-in Christmas party at the start of 2020, we would never have believed them!

‘This year has been a huge strain for anyone working in the arts and events industry, so we want to do everything in our power to showcase how we need our comedians, actors, musicians and filmmakers now more than ever. This event is designed to give people something fun and light-hearted to look forward to amongst all this uncertainty, and we can’t wait to see everyone coming together in sprit and celebrating Christmas in style!”

The Parking Lot Winter Festival will take place in the following cities:

• Manchester, Intu Trafford Centre, 1-6 December
• Liverpool, John Lennon International Airport, 9-13 December
• Cardiff, Sully Sports Club, 9-13 December
• Edinburgh, Dalkeith Country Park, 16-24 December
• Glasgow, Skyport Airport Parking, 16-24 December
• Bristol, Bristol Airport, 27 – 30 December

For tickets and live updates please visit The Parking Lot Social website theparkinglotsocial.co.uk/christmas/ or follow @theparkinglotsocial on social.