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It’s challenging to find a drive-in theater these days, but everyone still loves catching a movie outdoors under the stars. Setting up a backyard movie theater for the whole family is easier than ever now, and here’s how to do it with only a few simple tricks.

Adequate Space

The proper outdoor viewing space is about 12 by 12 feet. Ideally, you want an area that’s flat and free of obstacles. However, if you don’t have access to a flat space, remember to put the screen at the bottom of any inclines to keep it more like a real movie theater.

The Necessary Equipment

In order to set up your outdoor theater, you need a projector, speakers, and audio cables. An outdoor ethernet cable allows you to hook your projector up to the internet for streaming. You may also need a screen unless you plan to project the movie onto the side of your house. Thankfully, nearly all these items are easy to find and relatively affordable for a project of this scale.

Make sure you have a waterproof power supply to hook everything up to. More than likely, you won’t want to watch a movie in the pouring rain anyway, but it’s good to pay attention to this.

Proper Seating

After setting up your backyard movie theater for the family, everyone needs a place to sit. Patio furniture or collapsible outdoor chairs work, or you can bring in some logs for a more rustic feel. If your theater is on a hill, make sure the seating is level so nobody falls forward and spills their popcorn while trying to watch the movie.

Whether you want to introduce the kids to the magic of outdoor film, have a romantic date night under the stars, or host a watch party of some obscure cheesy horror movie, a backyard theater is a fantastic project. All the components are easy to set up and take down, and the experience will create memories to last a lifetime.


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