Alamo Drafthouse’s Rolling Roadshow has plenty of outdoors summer fun, from the explosive action movie screenings at Stunt Ranch to the now-classic “JAWS On The Water” screening at Volente Beach Resort & Waterpark. We once again attended the latter, this time on opening weekend, to soak up the sun and the scares.
We arrived shortly after the event opening at 6 PM, which meant we were free to explore the food, drink and activities available for roughly two hours before the movie would start. There were plenty of great photo opportunities, for both die-hard “Jaws” fans and those who would be seeing the film for the first time. There was a shark sculpted from sand to look like it was erupting from the ground.
Nearby, the vandalized version of the Amity Island sign, featuring a woman on the water screaming “Help!! Shark!” And on either side of that sign, there were smaller ones with the same message as those used in the movie to close the beach.
Lisa’s Face Painting was there to give realistic shark wounds to kids and adults alike. Those who wanted body painting could tell her where (thighs, arms and shoulders were popular spots for the fake wounds) and whether they wanted a shark bite pattern or a tear in the skin. Her shading and post-painting blood spatter gave the wounds a gnarly, gruesome look that matched that of the tubes provided for the event.
After all the body painting, photo-taking and, if you’re so inclined, water sliding, it’s time for food. There was a BBQ area for those who wanted a full plate of brisket and/or sausage, as well as the Tacobaby food truck for those who wanted slightly lighter fare. Food tickets purchased at the front or online worked at both of those locations, but if you want to pay for a sit-down meal, you could also hit up Beachside Billy’s. The bars had a wide variety of beers and mixed drinks, as well as bottled water to keep you hydrated. Water stations were a bit hard to find leading up to the movie, and easy to forget about, so make sure to stay hydrated if you attend.
The tubes had a new design this year, each featuring a headrest and a cup holder. They’re mostly bright yellow, with blood spatter and a nice little Easter egg for fans of the movie: “Property of Alex Kintner,” the name of a boy who becomes one of the shark’s victims. The inner tubes proved to be both sturdy and comfortable for the 2-hour run of the movie.
The atmosphere of watching the movie on the water was not as perfect as you might like, with audience members swinging glow sticks to ask for drinks and lots of talking & movement, as well as boats with loud music on the lake. However, if it isn’t your first time watching “Jaws,” it shouldn’t be too big of an issue. There were scuba divers who frightened quite a few people during the screening, and that made it a more fun and involved experience. At the film’s finale, they set off fireworks and nearly everyone watching cheered, capitalizing on the best thing about watching a movie with an engaged audience.
One thing to keep in mind if you plan on attending: it can get cool at night, and the breeze compounds that. No matter how warm you are getting in the water, know that you’ll likely be cold by the end, and bringing extra layers for the walk back to the car and the ride home might be a good idea. All in all, it’s a great experience that movie lovers should attend at least once if they have the chance.
You can grab tickets for “JAWS on the Water” here.
Featured image credit: Jackie Ruth
Originally hailing from Pennsylvania, Jackie has called Austin home since choosing to attend the University of Texas, where she graduated with a degree in multimedia journalism. She loves spending time with her dogs, writing about pop culture in all its forms and spending time with friends – eating, drinking and doing trivia.