‘Barbie’ movie premiere at the McHenry Outdoor Theater draws hundreds

It was a sea of pink at the McHenry Outdoor Theater on Friday night as hundreds of people gathered for the premiere of the movie, “Barbie.”

Attendees of all ages were decked out in Barbie-inspired costumes, children brought their favorite Barbie dolls and even some dogs were adorned in pink outfits.

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Kayla Shannon, left, JerriLynn Welch, middle, and Jean Jenkins pose for a photo during the "Barbie" movie premiere at the McHenry Outdoor Theater on Friday, July 21, 2023. (Dominic Di Palermo for Shaw Local)

Lifelong McHenry resident Jerrilyn Welch had all-pink blow-up chairs with a food spread of watermelon, sushi and pink candies. Adorned in pink silk pajama bottoms and pink slippers, she called it her “Barbie pajama party.”

“My mom grew up with Barbie and I grew up with it,” Welch said. “I think it’s such an iconic piece of history.”

She said they were the eighth car in line, arriving about two hours before the gates opened.

Dawn Bremer, an event organizer and founder of The Bremer Team, Keller Williams Success Realty group, said she is an early-‘70s baby so she always was in love with Barbie dolls.

“Barbie could do anything, so she made us believe that we could do anything,” she said.

The Bremer Team, Keller Williams Success Realty group planned the event with McHenry Outdoor Theater owner Scott Dehn, as part of a years-long partnership. The realty company recently renovated the concessions stand in the spring and started selling alcohol for the first time.

The drive-in is located at Chapel Hill and Lincoln roads, east of McHenry in Lakemoor. The sold-out event had cars lined up for the show, backing up past Route 120.

Bremer’s niece, Emma Heinlein, was dressed up as Barbie and posed for photos with attendees in a custom-made giant Mattel Barbie doll box.

The photo-op box, which lights up, will be at the theater for the next few weeks, Bremer said. She plans on having the box to be rentable for parties and events in the future.

“We hope people will be getting more than a movie tonight,” Dehn said. “They are getting an experience.”

Friday night’s “Barbie” premiere was a double feature with the 1990s classic romantic comedy “Clueless” playing after it.

A Barbie dream house was raffled off at the event. Attendees purchased $5 raffle tickets ahead of time and all proceeds go to Kids in Need of McHenry County, Bremer said. The nonprofit provides resources to foster families and children in foster care.

“My favorite part is raising money for charity at the same time as hosting this fun event,” Bremer said.

The doll house is almost 3,000 square-inches with new carpeting, paint and curtains. The winner would be announced Saturday on social media, Bremer said.

The dollhouse was donated by Liz Pfeifer, who works with Bremer in real estate. Her father built the dollhouse for her sister when they were kids, Pfeifer said.

“There’s a lot of nostalgia here tonight,” she said. “With the drive-in movie theater, to Barbie, to the dollhouse.”

Before the show, about 150 raffle tickets already were bought, Bremer said.

A costume contest also gave out more than $600 in prizes including Barbie dolls, cash, free movie passes and gift baskets.

Sisters Lacy and Ayla Bransky dressed up in sequined Barbie cowboy outfits and were in a pink convertible that they painted themselves with their dad.

“I’m most excited for all of the pink and seeing the costumes tonight,” Lacy Bransky said.

Barbie will be playing at the McHenry Outdoor Theater until Aug. 10.

As for future events, Dehn said they will “come up with something.” He wants the drive-in to host themed events as a monthly occurrence.

McHenry Outdoor Theater will be screening “throwback movies” in the fall and Dehn said he hopes to have fun-themed events for those films.