By Hayley Gastmeier
A couple of classic films set to screen outdoors at Rathkeale College tonight and tomorrow have been called off.
Priscilla, Queen of the Dessert and Dirty Dancing were to be shown, but due to low ticket sales they will screen next year instead.
Firefly Cinemas, which arrange seasonal outdoor movie screenings nationwide, have for the past few years put on the Masterton screenings in conjunction with Wairarapa Drive-in Cinema.
Wairarapa Drive-in Cinema organiser Damien Pivac also organises Cruise Martinborough.
He said postponing the flicks was “deja vu” to the first time he organised the event a few years ago.
“I should’ve learnt my lesson last time, that Wairarapa doesn’t like to do it before Christmas.”
Firefly Cinema marketing director Brady Dyer said a past event at Solway Showgrounds had been one of the company’s most successful event turn-outs ever.
But tickets sales for this weekend’s shows had been slow.
“We usually have to hit around 70 [tickets] per event to cover licensing and all the event costs.
“We’ve not had an issue easily hitting that in previous years with the events in Masterton so we think it’s due to the time of year.”
He said the outdoor flicks would definitely be back in the region early next year for both Cruise Martinborough and public screenings.
