The Movies by Moonlight Experience at Koka Booth
Cary, NC — Though I’ve lived in Cary for over a year, I had not been to Koka Booth Amphitheatre until last week.
When news of the amphitheater’s reopening for a 2021 series of movies and jazz concerts came out, I was quick to figure out when the soonest show I could fit on my calendar was. Tickets were released a certain number of days before the show, so I set a timer on my phone for about 5 minutes before the 12 PM opening and I’m glad I did. Over half of the spots were snatched up in a matter of minutes.
My fiance and I opted to see Alladin with one of our favorite actors, Will Smith. We were happy with the ticket prices, there were no long lines to get through the security at the front gate and the parameters for what is and is not allowed to be brought was laid out well on the Koka Booth Amphitheatre website.
When we entered, we were greeted by the sculpture of former Cary mayor, Koka Booth himself, as the large lawn area came into view. Staff assisted in helping us find our designated lawn pod and we set up our spot with camping chairs, blankets and started on our dinner we brought in. (Sushi & appetizers from Aroma Korea… yum!) The amphitheatre also has a concession stand and pre-purchased picnics that will be prepared for you in your seating area on arrival.
As for the movie-watching experience, I only have one complaint. For as large, long and wide the seating area is, I believe the screen was about half the size it should be. I admit I am not an expert on screens, but it appeared smaller than a typical movie theater screen with the seating capacity of at least 4 combined.
The environment of looking around to see other couples, families and little kids enjoying themselves was truly priceless. It presented a fun night out while not feeling like we were compromising our health and safety on the COVID-19 front. As the movie neared its end the stars came out and stole the show. It was a beautiful way to spend some time outdoors, away from the typical distractions of being at home like the nagging voice of those dishes or piles of laundry.
My advice? Find an event that feels fun and safe for you and get it planned. For us, it was a lovely night’s getaway that we enjoyed tremendously and didn’t have to compromise our wallets or standards for.
Story and photos by Ashley Kairis.
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