Free monthly drive-in style movie nights to begin on Main Street in Salem

A new community tradition may soon be taking shape in Salem. Titan Tint & Graphics will host its first “Saturday Night at Titan’s” on November 1 at 8 p.m., offering a free, drive-in style movie night featuring family Halloween classics Hocus Pocus  and The Nightmare Before Christmas.

The event will take place at Titan’s location at 805 S Main Street, where attendees can either park and sit in their cars or bring their own seating and watch the movies projected onto a 25-foot screen mounted from the shop’s roof. Guests can tune in through FM radio or listen via outdoor speakers. Bathrooms will be available, and concessions will be offered for purchase.

For owner Nick Weymouth, the event helps to fulfill a long-held goal to use his business as a platform for community connection.

“When I got into business in 2013 I had one major goal in mind: to use my business to organize and help fund more activities for our community,” Weymouth said. “Community involvement has always been a passion for me... to give back to the citizens of the community, to have fun activities and something to look forward to.”

Over the years, Titan Tint + Graphics has become well-known for its community participation. The business takes part in (and organizes) local parades, family fun days, and fundraising events. Weymouth said these efforts are all part of a broader mission to “make our community a better place and give opportunities to have fun activities and events right here in town.”

The idea for the movie night, he explained, has been in development for about two years. While the concept may sound simple, Weymouth said putting together a successful drive-in requires a great deal of planning and problem-solving.

“A lot goes into it behind [the curtain],” he said. “Figuring out how to park a couple hundred cars and everyone still be able to see and hear the movie, how to get [them] out of the parking lot safely afterward... bathrooms, concessions, trash pickup...”

Sound posed one of the biggest challenges. “Having the loudspeakers is great for the people in the back, but way too loud for the people up front,” Weymouth said. “We also have a sound curfew in the city limits at 11:00 p.m., so that was another thing to think about.”

To address those issues, Titan invested in an FM transmitter so guests can tune in to the movie’s audio through their car radios. Other logistical puzzles, like running power to the projector, securing the screen against wind, and managing lighting for safety, also took time to work out.

“So many little things that I’ve been writing down and coming up with plans and solutions over the last couple years,” said Weymouth, “I believe now [they’re] all solved and ready to roll.”

Weymouth said he hopes “Saturday Night at Titan’s” will become a monthly event, continuing through the colder months if weather allows. “If December has a decent weekend, we’ll do another,” he said. “If not, we’ll start this back up in the spring.”

Future events, he added, could include additional daytime activities before each movie night. “We plan to do a movie night every month, with alternating activities leading up to the movie,” Weymouth said. “Like food trucks set up during the day and [a] movie at night, vendors and crafts, or family fun days with games and bounce houses leading into the movie night.”

He emphasized that the events are not designed for profit, but to bring people together. “I want to make it all free because we aren’t doing it to make money,” Weymouth said. “We just want to provide a great night for your friends and family to enjoy right here in town.”

“Saturday Night at Titan’s” will debut on November 1 at 8 p.m. at Titan Tint + Graphics, located at 805 S Main St, Suite 110, in Salem. Admission is free.