Third Sail-In Cinema™ Draws Largest Crowd Yet

TORONTO, Aug. 21, 2013 /CNW/ - Canada's floating movie experience, Sail-In Cinema™ returned to the water's edge this year to its largest audience ever. More than 5000 people and 100 boats attended this year's festival.

The free three-day festival ran August 15 to 17 at Sugar Beach, featuring three well-loved movies from the 1980s - Ghostbusters, The Princess Bride and Back to the Future.

"Attendance this year more than doubled from previous years," said Toronto Port Authority Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Pamela McDonald. "We are delighted by the response and are proud that we have created a unique, free outdoor event that draws thousands of Torontonians to enjoy and rediscover a revitalized waterfront."

The festival, which began in 2011 to mark the Toronto Port Authority's 100^th Anniversary, averaged audiences of 2,000 people and 70 boats in its first two years. At Sail-In Cinema™ Torontonians enjoyed the films from land or boat at the city's largest outdoor theatre. Films were projected onto a two-sided 40 x 20 foot screen that weighed 700-pounds and sat on a 60 x 90-foot floating barge in Lake Ontario.

Toronto Port Authority presented Sail-In Cinema™ 2013 with the generous support of Platinum Partner Toyota Canada Inc., Porter Airlines, Monde Condominiums presented by Great Gulf, North American Logistics Services Inc., The Waterfront BIA, Popchips, Keurig® and media partners: the Toronto Star, Metro, CP24 and 99.9 Virgin Radio.

About the Toronto Port Authority (www.torontoport.com)
The Toronto Port Authority (TPA) owns and operates Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, the Port of Toronto (Terminals 51 and 52), and Toronto's Outer Harbour Marina. In addition to moving more than two million passengers through the airport in 2012, the Port Authority provides transportation, distribution, storage and container services to businesses at the Port, and owns and operates Toronto's largest freshwater marina. The Toronto Port Authority was incorporated on June 8, 1999 as a government business enterprise under the Canada Marine Act as the successor to the Toronto Harbour Commissioners.

Sail-In Cinema™ Fact Sheet

• Toronto Port Authority's Sail-In Cinema™ is the world's first two-sided floating movie experience
  
  
• Audiences watch movies from land or boat at Sugar Beach (25 Dockside Drive).
  
  
• The 2013 event ran August 15 to 17 with three hero-themed movie screenings beginning at sundown (approximately 8:45 p.m.)
  
  
• Sail-In Cinema's 2013 line up was determined by a public vote and comprised Ghostbusters (Thursday August 15), The Princess Bride (Friday August 16) and Back to the Future (Saturday August 17)
  
  
• Sail-In Cinema's 2012 nautical-themed movie line up featured The Poseidon Adventure, Creature from the Black Lagoon and Hook
  
  
• The two-sided, inflatable screen has a 40 x 20-foot viewing surface, sits in a 46 x 37-foot frame (four stories tall) and weighs more than 700 pounds
  
  
• The two-sided screen sat on a 60-foot-wide by 90-foot-long barge custom-made for the event. The barge was anchored approximately 150 feet south of the docks at Canada's Sugar Beach (located at 25 Dockside Drive, Toronto)
  
  
• Toronto Port Authority launched the inaugural Sail-In Cinema in 2011 as part of its centennial celebrations
  
  
• Sail-In Cinema™ saw more than 2,000 moviegoers and 70 boats attend the unique movie experience in 2012
  
  
• Sail-In Cinema™ has won several awards including a Silver Award of Excellence in the Best Special Events Project category for Sail-In Cinema™ at the 2013 Canadian Public Relations Society's National Awards of Excellence; Certificate of Merit for advertising from the The Advertising & Design Club of Canada in 2012; Gold at Marketing Magazine's Marketing Awards for best Experiential/Stunts/Events initiative of 2011, Silver for best in Commercial Services at the Media Innovation Awards in 2011

Event website: www.sailincinema.com

Image with caption: "Attendees watch 'The Princess Bride' at Sail-In Cinema™ 2013 at Toronto's Sugar Beach. (CNW Group/Toronto Port Authority)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130821_C7379_PHOTO_EN_30021.jpg

SOURCE: Toronto Port Authority

Pamela McDonald
Director, Communications and Public Affairs
Tel: [phone] or [phone] (mobile)
E-mail: [email protected]