Where to See Free Outdoor Movies in Boston This Summer
Free Friday Flicks at the Hatch Shell Photo by Chris Devers on Flickr
Note: Screenings generally begin at sundown.
Screen on the Green in Jamaica Plain
Thursday nights through September 18.
JP Centre/South Main Streets launched a new outdoor movie series this year that takes place the first and third Thursdays of the month at the Loring Greenough House, 12 South Street. On first Thursdays, also consider checking out the organization’s First Thursday Art Walk. Note: Rain location is 668 Centre Street.
Thursday, July 3: The Little Mermaid
Thursday, July 17: Cool Runnings
Thursday, July 31: Casablanca
Thursday, August 7: Best in Show
Thursday, August 21: The Fifth Element
Thursday, September 4: The Royal Tennenbaums
Thursday, September 18: Hook
Summer in the City at the Boston Harbor Hotel
Friday Nights through August
The Harbor Hotel’s annual “Summer in the City Entertainment Series” includes three nights of free music every week, as well as free movies every Friday night through August. Granted, the following aren’t all kid-friendly:
Friday, July 4: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Friday, July 11: Wizard of Oz
Friday, July 18: Citizen Kane
Friday, July 25: Swiss Family Robinson
Friday, August 1: Vertigo
Friday, August 8: A Streetcar Named Desire
Friday, August 15: Cool Hand Luke
Friday, August 22: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Friday, August 29: West Side Story
Family Film Festival at the Prudential Center
Saturday Nights through August
The Magic 106.7 Family Film Festival kicks off July 5 in the South Garden of the Pru. Cool down and “let [whatever it is] go” at sundown this Saturday with Disney’s latest animated hit Frozen. Note: Rain date is the following Wednesday, activities begin at 6 p.m.
Saturday, July 5: Frozen
Saturday, July 12: Monsters University
Saturday, July 19: The Smurfs 2
Saturday, July 26: Hoodwinked Too!
Saturday, August 2: Despicable Me 2
Saturday, August 9: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
Saturday, August 16: The Lego Movie
Saturday, August 23: Finding Nemo
Saturday, August 30: The Little Mermaid
Free Friday Flicks at the Hatch Shell
Friday Nights through August
CBS Boston and the DCR present the 29th annual Free Friday Flicks series at the DCR Hatch Shell on the Esplanade.
Friday, July 11: Despicable Me 2
Friday, July 18: The Goonies
Friday, July 25: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Friday, August 1: Men in Black 3
Friday, August 8: The Lego Movie
Friday, August 15: Beetlejuice
Friday, August 22: Frozen
Sunday Night Movies at Christopher Columbus Park
Sunday Nights through August
The folks at Christopher Columbus Park seem to have an appreciation for nostalgia. Rather than a Disney-filled lineup, theirs includes a healthy dose of Tom Hanks and Star Wars (Episode IV, but still).
Sunday, July 13: Field of Dreams
Sunday, July 20: Sleepless in Seattle
Sunday, July 27: My Neighbor Totoro
Sunday, August 3: Big
Sunday, August 10: Star Wars: Episode IV
Sunday, August 17: Happy Feet
Riverfront Park Movie Series at Assembly Row
Saturday Nights in August
Somerville’s new shopping complex is promoting a slew of summer events this year for Assembly Row’s opening season. These include the Sylvester Baxter Riverfront Park Movie Series, hosted by the DCR along the Mystic River.
Saturday, August 2: Men in Black 3
Saturday, August 9: The Lego Movie
Saturday, August 16: Beetlejuice
Saturday, August 23: Frozen
Mayor Walsh’s Movie Nights
Various Days in August and September
You didn’t think the city would let the Mass DCR have all the fun? Mayor Walsh’s Movie Nights will take place in various neighborhoods throughout Boston later this summer, including Jaws and Frozen on Boston Common in September. All screenings at 8 p.m. See cityofboston.gov for location details.
Monday, August 4, Mattapan: Despicable Me 2
Monday, August 11, Roxbury/South End: The Lego Movie
Monday, August 18, South Boston: Rudy
Thursday, August 21, West Roxbury: Frozen
Monday, August 25, Allston: Planes
Wednesday, August 27, Dorchester: Monsters University
Friday, September 5, Boston Common: Jaws
Friday, September 12, Roslindale: The Nut Job
Friday, September 19, Boston Common: Frozen
Friday, September 26, Hyde Park: The Greatest Game Ever Played
Plus:
Out of the Park on Boston Common
Sunday, July 27, 1:40 p.m.
The City of Boston, Red Sox, and Highland Street Foundation teamed up this year for “Out of the Park,” a series of free outdoor events that transform a park into Yawkey Way complete with a live NESN broadcast of the Sox away game, free Hood ice cream and famous Fenway Franks by Kayem, and plenty of other entertainment including music from Red Sox DJ TJ Connelly, Wally the Green Monster, face painting, and more.
The final “Out of the Park” event this summer is Sunday, July 27, 1:40 p.m., on Boston Common. The Sox will be playing the Tampa Bay Rays.
Want more summer? Of course you do.
Check out our June cover story, “Summer in the City.”
Plus: more summer series at local venues.
Update, July 3, 12 p.m.: Added “Screen on the Green” lineup in Jamaica Plain.
