Follow Us:

Special drive-in church service to take place

Share This Post

The service will be on Sunday 2 August and start at 1pm, with arrivals between 12 noon and 12.30pm. It will include hymns and songs which will be broadcast into car radios with words on the screen, as well as video clips from around the diocese.

The service is free to attend but places are limited and booking is essential via the following link: https://events.musthavetickets.co.uk/54968685

(The booking process is managed by the Showground’s ‘Pop up cinema’ team; if you have any issues booking tickets please contact them directly on support@musthavetickets.co.uk – frustratingly they have no telephone number.)

The one-off event is being organised as part of the Celebrate & Share Mission Strategy stream. Speaking about the plans, the Very Revd Jane Hedges said:

“We’re delighted that the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association have generously offered us the unique opportunity to gather at the showground for a special service (in our cars).

“We hope that people will come from all over the diocese to join with us as we celebrate all the gifts God has given us, share in worship, and give thanks for the wonderful people of our diocese and all that has been given in public service during the past months.”

Please find some useful information including times and postcode below – and some FAQ’s:

The timeline:

  • 11:00 hrs – Eating Street market open to the public
  • 12:00 hrs – ‘To the Cinema’ Drive-In Lane open for check-in
  • 12:30 hrs – ‘To the Cinema’ Drive-In Lane closed for check-in
  • 13:00 hrs – Service begins
  • 13:50 hrs – Service concludes and departures

Address & postcode for sat navs:

Norfolk Showground, Dereham Road
The postcode for sat nav is NR5 0TP

Its the main entrance opposite the hotel: follow the sign ‘To The Cinema’

‘Eating Street’ food market:

Please feel free to bring a picnic and eat in your cars.  In addition, the food market is also open all weekend to the public and it is situated next to a public car park just a short walk away.  (Food delivery to cars is not possible.)

Parking and toilets:

You will be asked to park 2 metres away from the next car and the events team will assist you. Taller cars and 4×4’s etc will be asked to wait at the back and we will move forward after the standard sized cars have been placed.

There are ample toilets if you need them; these are the Showground’s built-in toilets, not portaloos.

 


Answers to frequently asked questions from the Showground team…

Is this event COVID safe?

Cars provide perfect social distancing and will be parked to allow plenty of space should you need to leave your vehicle to use the on-site facilities. Additional measures will also be put in place for a safe event experience, following all government guidelines. This includes front of house staff wearing PPE, safely distanced built in toilets, hand sanitising stations and queueing points at facilities.

Please remain in your cars with your household or bubbles (as per the latest government guidelines). All attendees are asked to respect social distancing measures when leaving cars for the toilets or to visit Eating Street.

How do we hear the service?

You will listen to the service via an FM signal to your car radios. If cars do not have FM radio receivers then you could bring a portable radio and tune in – please make sure it has battery life and spares – we do have other solutions but in the current climate would prefer to minimise contact.

How many guests per car?

Please remain in your cars with your household or bubbles (as per the latest government guidelines). We ask that all attendees respect social distancing measures when leaving your cars for the toilets or to visit Eating Street.

Tickets are per vehicle so you are more than welcome to bring additional passengers up to your vehicle’s legal limit. For the best experience we recommend two adults per car as we can’t guarantee the view from the back seats.

Are large / taller vehicles allowed?

Large cars such as 4×4’s, SUV’s and people carriers are allowed, but will be positioned on the back row or the wings of the rows to allow other customers optimal viewing.

What time should I arrive?

Please arrive 30-60 minutes before the start of the service so we can check you in and park you up in time. Gates will close 30 mins before the service starts. Ticket holders will be emailed with full info in advance.

What about food and drink?

The food market a short walk away from the Drive-In arena so you can enjoy local street food. There are up to eight street food traders on site serving throughout the event for customers and the passing by public – separate car park area for the public. You can purchase food while you pass in the queue or walk over once you have parked up.

Will there be toilets?

We have ample toilets if you need them; they are the Showground’s built-in ones, not portaloos.  The service will be around an hour in length so you could remain safely in cars throughout if not caught short but rest assure all of our events have toilet facilities, including accessible facilities. Toilets will be spaced to allow for social distancing and will be professionally cleaned throughout. Health and safety at the event is very important so you can expect a clean and safe experience.