Taking place at Edgbaston Stadium, drive-in festival The Parking Lot Social is bringing Christmas to Birmingham with a host of exciting socially-distanced events this December.

From 27th–30th December visitors will be welcomed to a festive evening of fun entertainment from pantomime and cinema evenings to silent discos and much more. Famous for their vast inflatable sets, the winter festival will feature a fabulous 60ft tall rainbow coloured Christmas tree and a giant DJing Santa Claus providing the perfect backdrop for the entertainment.

Following the closure of theatres over the winter months, guests will still be able to get their annual pantomime fix with the first Parking Lot pantomime, a twist on the classic Cinderella. Featuring all the panto elements you know and love, as well as a few ‘drive-in’ twists along the way, a troupe of nine professional actors will restore our faith in Christmas as audiences follow Cinders on her adventures, helped by the Fairy Godmother. An on-site crew will film the action and broadcast the panto from the stage directly onto two 40 foot screens meaning there’s not a bad seat in the house.

For those craving a much-needed night out, the Big Weekender is the perfect opportunity to let loose and indulge in some festive fun! Park next to friends and dance at a distance for a night to remember. The jam-packed party night includes a Silent Disco, Live Cam Car-A-Oke, Party Bingo and Interactive quizzes.

For families on the hunt for some Christmas cheer, Social Kids is the perfect party for little ones featuring family ‘Christmas car-a-oke’, an interactive quiz, a silent disco and Party Bingo hosted by Santa Claus himself!

Movie-lovers can also choose from a selection of drive-in film favourites including The Greatest Showman, Mamma Mia and Home Alone, which will be shown on two giant screens with the sound broadcast straight to the cars. Guests will be treated to pre movie entertainment including quizzes and DJ sets to get the audience to get everyone in the festive spirit – watch out for a few surprises along the way!

In line with government guidelines, safety is at the heart of every event and audiences will participate in the immersive, interactive shows from their own cars. The events are completely contactless ensuring a safe and socially distant experience with strict cleaning and social distancing rules throughout. Organisers have even committed to full ticket refunds if additional government restrictions should restrict the event from going ahead.

John Kinnersley, Chief Operating Officer at XL Event Lab, the company behind the events, said: “If someone had said to us we’d be planning a socially distanced drive-in Christmas party at the start of 2020, we would never have believed them!

‘This year has been a huge strain for anyone working in the arts and events industry, so we want to do everything in our power to showcase how we need our comedians, actors, musicians and film-makers now more than ever. This event is designed to give people something fun and light-hearted to look forward to amongst all this uncertainty, and we can’t wait to see everyone coming together in sprit and celebrating Christmas in style!”