Birth of the Drive-In

Can you guess where the first outdoor movie theater was created? It was right in the backyard of Richard Hollingshead in Camden, New Jersey. Richard mounted a 1928 Kodak projector on the hood of his car; he used it to project onto a screen he nailed to trees in his backyard. He placed a radio behind the screen for sound, and then began to test his idea. Richard tested sound with the windows up, down and half way. He experimented with the various weather conditions; using his lawn sprinkler he replicated a rainstorm. Richard liked what he saw and heard. After receiving a patent for his idea, Richard opened the first drive-in theater in Airport Circle, New Jersey on June 6, 1933.

Since Drive-In Theaters were new to most people, drive-ins would host an “Open House” during the day to let people know what to expect. They would show the customers how to park, how the sound systems worked, and what food was available in the concession stands. A few theater owners even gave the customers the ability to order from their car and have a car hop deliver. This attracted a lot of customers to the drive-in movie.

Although most drive-in theaters have closed down since the 1990s, people have been experimenting with their own backyard theaters. Depending on the space available, it may simply be a temporary version with foldable screen, a projector and couple of speakers, or a permanent fixture with huge screens and dedicated audio set up in the back. Due to the outdoor nature, it is quite popular with BBQ parties and pool parties. Just like the crowds of the 1930’s through the 1950′s, it seems that a new generation has taken an old concept and discovered a new approach to outdoor movie theaters.

Let Fun Flicks help to host your next outdoor movie party. We bring the screen, projector and an awesome sound system! All you have to do is supply the movie. We even have old fashioned popcorn machines.

Fun Flicks Rolls Out in Style!

We are super excited about our new Fun Flicks trailer!

Brands Imaging did an amazing wrap on our little guy and we couldn’t be happier with the results!

Keep an eye out for the Fun Flicks trailer rolling out to your next event!

Go Festive! sings and dances along with Mega Music Fest!

Karen hired Go Festive! to be a part of her daughter’s debut. Ashley was a dancer for the Mega Music Fest and Karen wanted to show her off  in a MEGA way. She invited her family, friends, neighbors, and everyone else to see her daughter dance away on our 21′ screen. Everyone enjoyed the show, ate popcorn, and even indulged in an awesome candy display. Congratulations to Ashley and thanks to Karen for including us in your big day!

Top 5 Fun Ways Your Organization Can Raise Money!

As a member of a charitable or other non-profit organization, you know that raising money is a vital and ongoing practice. Without donations coming in, your organization can’t keep doing its valuable work. At GO FESTIVE! we appreciate the good deeds non-profits do, and we want to make sure you can continue to succeed. Below is our Top 5 list of ideas on how to raise money for your organization while having a great time and reaching out to your community!

Idea #1: Have a Movie Night! Who doesn’t love the idea of a drive-in movie? Our Fun Flicks movie packages are the perfect way to bring people together for a night of cinema under the stars. We like to say that it’s all the fun of the drive-in, without the cars! Your organization can sell tickets and concessions to raise money for your cause.

Idea #2: Host a Silent Auction! Silent auctions are a great way to raise money for your organization without incurring overhead costs. Ask local businesses to donate goods or services or provide them at cost and then invite members of your community for a night of entertainment and bidding! GO FESTIVE! offers great packages for auctions, and we’ll even donate a photobooth for the evening of your event if you auction off all five of our services!

Idea #3: Arrange a Laser Tag Tournament! GO FESTIVE’S Battle Blast Laser Tag isn’t just for parties – it’s also great for raising money! Sign up teams of up to six players and GO FESTIVE! will run a day-long tournament. The winning team gets a 2-hour Battle Blast Party! Your organization pays $40 per team to GO FESTIVE!, but can charge whatever you wish for teams to sign up – giving you the opportunity to raise money from each and every team. We only require a minimum of 12 teams to have a tournament, so get your friends and family together and let’s play!

Idea #4: Hold a Video Game Tournament! Games like Rock Band, Guitar Hero and Wii Sports are fun for everyone – players and audience alike. GO FESTIVE!’s jumbo inflatable movie screens make the perfect canvas on which to duke it out for a good cause! Simply book a GO FESTIVE! Fun + Games party and charge admission for tournament play. GO FESTIVE! will provide the screen, sound and projector equipment, all you need to supply is the gaming system and game disk!

Idea #5: Throw a community carnival! Your friends and neighbors will be more than willing to support your cause when there’s so much fun involved! Invite local businesses, artists, and vendors to purchase table space and display their wares. Have fun activities for kids and adults alike – dance competitions, arts and crafts, rides and games. GO FESTIVE! offers many fun party activities like photobooths and flipbooks that will enhance your carnival and wow the crowd. Don’t forget about our Fun Flicks Outdoor Movies and Battle Blast Laser Tag – great additions to any community carnival!

About GO FESTIVE!

GO FESTIVE! is based locally in Philadelphia and got its start in 2007 as Festive Fotobooths. Inspired by the fun of the photobooth at Northbowl in Philadelphia, company owner Natalie Morin Hirsch created a traveling version and began bringing it to events as a way to make some money while completing law school. Three years later, the company now has 7 Fotobooths and offers other great services like Flipbooks, Fun Flicks Outdoor Movies, Battle Blast Laser Tag, and Festive Fun + Games. To reflect our diversification, the company name was officially changed to GO FESTIVE! in mid-2009.
Since its inception, GO FESTIVE! has provided entertainment and enjoyment at all types of events – from weddings to Sweet 16s to charity galas and community fundraising events.

Opportunities and GO FESTIVE! are Striking out Homelessness!

Hi Everyone! Check out the invitation below for a great event we have coming up!

Opportunities is an organization that helps homeless and other at-risk youth and young adults to achieve their academic potential and professional goals by offering them supportive services and stable housing. Opportunities will be holding a fund raiser and silent auction at one of our favorite spots: North Bowl! In addition to great auction offerings like an autographed Desean Jackson jersey, Opportunities will be auctioning off all sorts of GO FESTIVE! packages!! Place a bid for your chance to win a Festive Fotobooth package, Flip for Flipbooks package, Fun Flicks outdoor movie night or Festive Fun + Games video game party, or even a Battle Blast laser tag party!

In addition to offering our packages for auction, there will be a booth at the event for guests to enjoy! Jump in and have a blast in front of the camera in between bowling a couple frames and enjoying unlimited food and drinks!

Visit the Opportunities website today to purchase your tickets and help support this great cause! We hope to see you there!

A Hit with PTO Members

The air was filled with the scent of warm chocolate chip cookies and the chatter of enthusiastic parents and teachers at the PTO Expo held on March 23rd at The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. Over 450 school representatives came through the expo looking for new, fun, and effective ways to raise money for their schools!!! GO FESTIVE! and numerous other vendors shared ideas about how the school representatives can both fundraise and add fun activities to their special events. We are hoping to be a part of many of the local schools’ fundraising efforts so the students can enjoy our services as much as their teachers and parents did! You should have heard the squeals and giggles from the photobooth… at least you can see the photos!!!

BATTLE BLAST! Mobile Laser Tag Launch Party

Hey Festive Friends! We hope you all got a chance to stop by our launch party last Friday – it was a real treat! As you may have heard, we are now offering mobile laser tag parties! We bring the inflatable obstacles and the guns, and you provide teams of people ready to have fun! Our laser tag parties can take place indoors – in a gym, cafeteria, even in an office, amongst the cubicles! Of course we can also bring the party outdoors (day OR night!) to play on an open field, in your backyard, or around a community park!

Graham shows off an inflatable bunker!

To introduce this great new service to the public, we had a launch party on March 5 at our building, 2424 Studios which has a space just perfect for large gatherings and good times – the Skybox! We set up our inflatable laser tag obstacles and ran laser tag games all evening long. To keep our guests entertained while waiting their turn, we also had a photobooth and a JUMBO 21′ tall inflatable screen where guests played Wii Fit and Guitar Hero!

A laser tag game in progress!

One of the best things about GO FESTIVE! is our team – they’re all great people who love to have a good time. And they have great friends and family members who  came to pitch in for setting up the party. Of course, we wanted them to enjoy as well! From our owner Natalie’s husband Matt to the friends and family of our team members, people turned out to enjoy and make the party a success! Check out the pictures below from this great night of fun!

Natalie and her husband Matt.

GO FESTIVE! team members Chris, Britt and Christine

Sahar and Matt get ready to duke it out!

Of course, a GO FESTIVE! party wouldn’t be a party without the photobooth that started it all! Christine and Todd finally got to jump in the booth together for the first time…

Christine and Todd goofing around in the booth.

GO FESTIVE! team member Britt (center) with her mom Deb and sister Sonja, showing off for the camera.

GO FESTIVE! team member Tina and her boyfriend Eric hamming it up in front of the camera.

To top off this great evening, GO FESTIVE! held a drawing – the winner won a free two hour BATTLE BLAST Laser Tag Party for up to 24 people. The lucky winner was Jess Croll, a teacher in Chester School District. So congrats to Jess, and thanks to everyone who came out to join us!

GO FESTIVE! Summer Movie Series at Liberty Lands

Great news, Festive Friends! GO FESTIVE! has won the bid to sponsor a ten week summer movie series here in Philadelphia, in beautiful Liberty Lands Park!

We’ll be bringing our colossal outdoor inflatable movie screens and super-sonic sound system to the park to share the good time with friends and neighbors. Admission is free, and all are welcome. Bring your beach blankets and lawn chairs and settle in for a good time!

We’re still in the planning phase, but the movie lineup will include favorites for audience members of all ages. We’ll be featuring work from local film makers as well as main-stream cinema. We’ll also be holding a film contest, and the winner’s film will be shown during the series!

So mark it on your calendar and plan to come out and enjoy a movie with us, Tuesday evenings beginning June 22. No one plans a good time like GO FESTIVE!

Northern Liberties Neighborhood Association

Calling All Basketball Teams In the Philadelphia and NJ Area!

Throw Your Own World Series Viewing Party On a 26 Foot Screen!

Go Festive! has everything you need to make your Phillies party a success!

Imagine the game of the year projected onto a 16, 21 or 26 foot screen in your own backyard! Our amplified sound system will make you feel like you’re at Citizen’s Bank Park!

As an added bonus we can supply popcorn for you and all your guests, popped fresh in an old-fashioned popper!

Packages start at $299.
Dates are still available, call now!!

Go Phillies!

–GO FESTIVE!
info@gofestive.com
(267) 902-5373
www.gofestive.com