people setting up blankets to watch movie in a park

A crowd gathers for a Screen on the Green movie in Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Park. The summer event is now held in larger Piedmont Park.

Photograph by Curtis Compton, The Atlanta Journal Constitution

Free to See: 10 U.S. Movie Nights

Summer brings free movie screenings to many parts of the country. Find one near you and pack the popcorn. Sponsored by Toyota Venza

August 16, 2011
3 min read

Coney Island Flicks on the Beach

Brooklyn, New York

Not all beach days end when the sun goes down. Brooklyn's seaside institution plays host to a series of Monday night movies on the beach at Coney Island during July and August. Good hot dogs are never far away.

Screen on the Green

Atlanta, Georgia

If you like your outdoor movies with a stunning view of the Atlanta skyline, than Screen on the Green is for you. The June movie series hosted by the Piedmont Park Conservancy draws casual picnickers and serious movie buffs alike for sundown shows in The Meadow.

Base Camp Outdoor Theater

Telluride, Colorado

Base Camp is a new part of Telluride's long-loved Mountainfilm festival. During this May event, the main stage of Tellluride Town Park hosts a series of free, moonlight shows. And fittingly for mountain folk, the show goes on no matter the weather.

Sunrise Theatre

Fort Pierce, Florida

The historic Sunrise Theatre in downtown Fort Pierce pulls movie lovers off the beaches of Florida's Treasure Coast with free summer Sunday showings of classic films like Citizen Cane, Casablanca, and Some Like It Hot. The theater opened in 1923, which means that many of these films were seen on its screen during their original releases.

Screen on the Green

Washington, D.C.

Screen on the Green is one attraction loved by both tourists and Washington, D.C. locals—and who wouldn't love watching classic films in this spectacular location on the National Mall? Shows start on Mondays, just about sunset, and run for four weeks in July and August.

Free Movie Series

Iowa City, Iowa

The University of Iowa's Pentacrest is the site of a free movie series running from June through August, but you don't have to be a student to attend. Just throw your lawn chairs or blankets on the lawn outside of Macbride Hall.

Free Friday Flicks

Boston, Massachusetts

Free films on the Esplanade are a traditional way to kick off a summer weekend in Boston. Hatch Shell screenings are at sundown, but arrive early to claim a prime spot and enjoy free food samples while they last.

Movies in the Park

Portland, Oregon

Parks around Portland will be hosting a July-September free movie series sponsored by the city's Department of Parks and Recreation. Screenings are paired with other fun activities, from climbing walls to cookie tastings.

Wonderland of the Americas

San Antonio, Texas

Thursday night is free movie night in San Antonio—for the first 200 guests anyway—at Wonderland of the America's Santikos Bijou. Each month's lineup is set by a theme; past favorites have included Romance and Elizabeth Taylor. Check in each month for coming attractions.

Eagles Theatre

Wabash, Indiana

This historic movie house in Wabash, Indiana, helps Hoosiers beat the heat with Free Movie Mondays all summer long. For out-of-towners the building might rival the show—the Eagles Theatre, now owned and operated by the Honeywell Foundation, first opened its doors in 1906.

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