PORT ANGELES — It’s a new, unusual combination: bathing suits and cinema.
The Dive-In Movie will debut at William Shore Memorial Pool, 225 E. Fifth St., at 5 p.m. Saturday.
Moviegoers can wear swimsuits and plan to get wet — like the fish in the featured film “Finding Nemo.”
“That’s half of the fun,” said Seth Leighton, aquatics manager.
Admission to “Finding Nemo,” the animated fish story featuring the voices of Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Geoffrey Rush and Willem Dafoe, will be $5 per person or $10 per families of two to six people.
The Dive-In Theater is the brainchild of Steve Burke, executive director of the William Shore Memorial Pool District, Leighton said.
Burke used to live in San Diego, where movies were shown at the community swimming pool.
He thought that since Port Angeles could use some more family-friendly activities — especially indoors in the winter — the cinema-swim idea might work here.
Float and watch
“We’re going to be providing float tubes so people can float around while they’re watching,” Burke said.
People are welcome to bring their own floats and rafts, too. Lifeguards will be on duty.
The big movie screen will loom over the pool, the house lights will be turned down and the pool lights left aglow.
The water will be warmer than usual: 84 or 85 degrees, Burke said.
Moviegoers are invited to start the evening with some swimming from 5 p.m. until about 5:30 p.m., he added.
Those who don’t feel like getting in to swim can watch “Finding Nemo” from the bleachers.
Monthly event
Burke said the Dive-In Movie will be a monthly event, always on a Saturday night, and the film will always be a family-friendly one.
He added that neither “Jaws” nor “The Abyss” will be Dive-In candidates.
The typical movie food and drink will not be part of the festivities, however, since the pool cleaning staff would rather not have to deal with popcorn and candy bars, Burke said.
There’s plenty of room for swimming and watching, Burke noted.
“We can fit 250 kids in the pool and 100 in the stands,” he said, adding that there will be some more swimming time after the movie.
Leighton said watery movie showings began with movie showings on a white bedsheet after competitive swim meets — private showings for the club members.
The pool district has purchased a movie screen to improve the quality of the picture and a projector, he added.
For more information about open and lap swimming, lessons, exercise classes, party rentals and other activities at Port Angeles’ public pool, phone 360-417-9767 or visit www.williamshorepool.org.
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Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5062, or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.
Reporter Arwyn Rice contributed to this report.
